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Jennifer Harper

Jennifer Harper

A graduate of Syracuse University, Jennifer Harper writes the daily Inside the Beltway column and provides additional coverage of breaking national news, plus long-term trends in politics, media issues, public opinion, popular culture, Hollywood foibles and “eureka” moments in health and science.

She has been a frequent broadcast commentator on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, C-SPAN, Voice of America, Citadel Broadcasting, Talk Radio Network and other news organizations. Born in Elizabeth, N.J., Ms. Harper grew up in Texas and arrived in Washington in time for Watergate -- and has been tracking the political and media landscape ever since.

She is an active member of the American Federation of TV Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild. She has won 14 journalism awards during her years at The Washington Times.

To read Jennifer Harper's Inside the Beltway columns, click here. Contact her at jharper@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Jennifer Harper

Sen. Joe Manchin III, West Virginia Democrat, had a pivotal vote in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, which passed last week. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Is Joe Manchin a maverick or a moderate?

He is the senior U.S. senator from West Virginia, where he also served as both governor and secretary of state. Over time, Sen. Joe Manchin III's byword has been practicing what he calls "retail government" — connecting with and actually serving his constituents are his top priority, he says. Published March 7, 2021

A talk radio columnist notes that "nobody can" replace talk radio host Rush Limbaugh. Guests hosts have been filling in since late December. (Associated Press)

Fox Nation to premiere new series on Rush Limbaugh, narrated by Mike Pence

It is an ambitious and affectionate salute to a man who regularly drew 15 million talk radio listeners for three hours of conservative thought each day. Fox Nation is set to premiere "The Age of Rush," a four-part series showcasing the life and times of Rush Limbaugh, narrated by former vice president Mike Pence -- who once was a talk radio host himself. Published March 6, 2021

President Biden hasn't given a solo press conference. He also hasn't given an address before a joint session of Congress since taking office. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: The careful art of hiding Biden

Journalists, news organizations and maybe even the American public are quietly wondering why President Biden maintains such a low-key presence in one the most high-profile positions in the world. Mr. Biden has yet to give a solo press conference and has taken few questions. He also has not given the traditional presidential address before a joint session of Congress, a task accomplished by his predecessors by late February. Published March 4, 2021

There are multiple factors being cited as reasons for President Biden's delay in delivering the State of the Union address, including the virus. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: So where’s the big Biden speech?

There were some observers who declared that former President Donald Trump's speech before CPAC on Sunday was actually a State of the Union address. There is some truth to that. His comments covered the state of the union, the state of unity within the Republican Party and conservatism, and the prospects for the future. Published February 28, 2021

The Conservative Political Action Conference is underway in Orlando, Florida — poised to find a way forward in a complicated playing field. (Image courtesy of CPAC)

Inside the Beltway: CPAC poised to show the way forward

It's a first. The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is now underway in Orlando, Florida -- some 850 miles away from its traditional Washington-area home but bolstered with an intensified sense of mission and purpose. There's an evocative new motto -- "America Uncanceled" -- and every single event is sold out. Published February 25, 2021

Fox News prime-time host Tucker Carlson now draws the largest audience on cable news, and also among non-news rivals. Fox News, meanwhile, remains the most watched channel in the cable realm. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Fox News still rules the airwaves

The numbers are telling. After the considerable media hubbub surrounding the arrival of President Biden and his administration, competition among the cable news channels seems to have settled back into a familiar pattern which has persisted for 19 years. Fox News is the most watched cable network after a short stint at a lower ranking. Published February 23, 2021

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana warns that only 10% of the upcoming COVID-19 relief addresses health-related concerns. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: A heaping helping of ‘liberal pork’

Gee, it seems like old times — and not necessarily good old times. Let us return to the days of the massive health care law that emerged on March 10, 2010 — also known as "Obamacare" and weighing in at 906 pages. Let us remember House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's observation about the legislation, which few lawmakers had actually read. She had advice. Published February 22, 2021

David Marcus, a columnist for The Federalist, rejects the idea that there is a "civil war" within the GOP, instead citing the media's fixation on former President Trump as a dominant factor. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Media invents a Republican ‘civil war’

News coverage in recent weeks has suggested that the Republican Party is facing either a massive identity crisis or grave infighting which could compromise the Grand Old Party forever. The possibility of a GOP "civil war," in fact, has been broached by news organizations in print, online and in broadcast. The idea has been dissected by The Washington Post, CNN and The New York Times — to name just a few — and among a surprising number of overseas sources. Published February 21, 2021

President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with labor leaders in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Inside the Beltway: Biden ‘honeymoon’ already on the wane

Looks like President Biden is being schooled on schools at the moment. The nation is now aware that Mr. Biden's promise to have children back in their classrooms during the first 100 days of his presidency has faded. So far, the White House has only proposed that half the nation's schools will offer limited in-class teaching, at least one day a week. Published February 18, 2021

President-elect Donald Trump, left, and Vice President-elect Mike Pence acknowledge the crowd during the first stop of his post-election tour, in Cincinnati on Dec. 1, 2016. A new CNN Films documentary explores the role of the U.S. vice presidency, which in modern times has emerged into a more powerful position. Still, the film notes that a veep’s duties are all up to the president. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) **FILE**

Donald Trump or Mike Pence could replace Rush Limbaugh on the air, analyst suggests

More than one media analyst has wondered if former President Donald Trump could replace the late Rush Limbaugh on talk radio. Michael Harrison, founder of Talkers Magazine, noted in early January that that Mr. Trump was not likely ready for "prime-time radio" - which he described as labor-intensive and far different from an appearance on TV. Published February 18, 2021

In this Jan. 29, 2010, file photo, the Hollywood sign sits near the top of Beachwood Canyon adjacent to Griffith Park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

Nielsen now tracking gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation in TV programming

Nielsen Media Research has added a new dimension to its systems of tracking TV programming and the viewers who are tuning in. The organization has launched Gracenote Inclusion Analytics, set to deliver "unprecedented visibility into the gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation of talent appearing in TV programming and the audiences watching it." Published February 18, 2021

One America News has had the most online growth of any conservative news site, according to a study from SimiliarWeb, an industry group. (One America News)

Inside the Beltway: ‘Right-leaning’ news audience thrives

One America News, a conservative cable channel, is now enjoying a huge leap in viewership — up 148% in the past year, according to SimilarWeb, a New York-based industry source that tracks online traffic and determines the "fastest growing digital brands" around the nation. OAN is one of them. Published February 17, 2021