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Jennifer Harper

Jennifer Harper

jharper@washingtontimes.com

Jennifer Harper wrote the daily Inside the Beltway column for The Washington Times.

Articles by Jennifer Harper

Official logo of the Libertarian Party. (image from Libertarian Party)

Turf war brewing: Libertarian Party proclaims they’re the only ‘real deal’

Many Americans say they're Libertarians, including tea partiers. But there's only one official Libertarian Party - founded in 1971 and throwing themselves a big convention in Columbus beginning Thursday. The organization claims to be the only "real deal" in a very crowded field. So don't go using their name in vain.

June 26, 2014
In this Oct. 14, 2013, photo, the U.S. Capitol is seen as a partial government shutdown enters its third week, in Washington. As talks between Republican and Democratic leaders lumber on in Washington, the American public sees an economic crisis looming if Congress is unable to raise the country’s debt ceiling. But the people seem just as conflicted on the issue as their elected representatives. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Fed up: 90 percent of Americans now give Congress a negative review

It looks like the nation is still in throw-the-bums-out mode, and on both sides of the aisle. How vexed are voters vexed with Congress? One new poll says all: 90 percent of Americans give the entire U.S. Congress a negative job review. Everyone seems on the same page here: 89 percent of Republicans, 87 percent of Democrats and 95 percent of independents agree.

June 25, 2014
Actor Gary Oldman got heavy media criticism for mocking liberal Hollywood, but much support from his agent Douglas Urbanski, an occasional guest host for Rush Limbaugh. (Chris Pizzello | Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Behold, it’s a White House ‘Day in the life’

Brace for it. The White House has readied a new feel-good tactic to appeal to American voters, and it goes public in 24 hours when President Obama fires up Air Force One and journeys to Minnesota for a two-day visit that includes a public event, a private fundraiser and something called a "day in the life."

June 24, 2014
Drones used for news-gathering? It’s not so far-fetched. The University of Missouri has awarded a $25,000 grant to public radio station KBIA to explore drone journalism in places “reporters can’t go or reach.” Here comes the fly-by media. (Courtesy of Microdrones)

Drone Journalism: CNN closes in on overhead coverage

It was inevitable. In the endless competition between news organization for an audience, some are now exploring best practices for journalism drones. That’s right. It's what's overhead that counts. CNN and the Georgia Institute of Technology have formed a joint research initiative to ferret out opportunities that unmanned aerial vehicles - UAVs - present for media organizations.

June 24, 2014
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is among a half-dozen Republicans who have proposed recent legislation to help working families. The legislation, however, is ignored by Democrats. (Sen. Tim Scott)

Inside the Beltway: 24 hours into the Obama/Clinton ‘Blood Feud’

It's been 24 hours since "Blood Feud: The Clintons Vs. The Obamas" arrived on the nation's bookshelves, to be teased about and fussed over by fans and critics alike for its often startling news about both first families, and the unexpected acrimony between them.

June 23, 2014
A toddler sits on the floor with other detainees at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facility, Wednesday, June 18, 2014, in Brownsville,Texas. CPB provided media tours Wednesday of two locations in Brownsville and Nogales, Ariz. that have been central to processing the more than 47,000 unaccompanied children who have entered the country illegally since Oct. 1. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, Pool)

The crisis goes global: International charity to help America’s illegal border children

Beleaguered Border Patrol agents who have become the sudden caregivers to thousands of unaccompanied minor children arriving daily on the Southwestern border of the U.S are getting some help from a charity with a strong international presence. Save the Children, a charity founded in 1919 and now active in 120 countries, announced Monday it had begun working to ease the situation "now overwhelming border control institutions ill-prepared to meet the basic needs of such large numbers of unaccompanied children."

June 23, 2014
House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is joined by Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., and Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, just after House Republicans voted to make McCarthy the new majority leader, replacing Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., who was defeated in his primary earlier this month, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, June 19, 2014. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., who leads a conservative faction of lawmakers in the Republican Study Committee, was elected to be the new House majority whip, replacing McCarthy. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Record breaker: Kevin McCarthy becomes least tenured floor leader in U.S. House history

Well, it's an official record. A painstaking study of more than three-dozen House majority and minority leaders finds that Rep. Kevin McCarthy, with less than four full terms under his belt, "has the least experience of any floor leader in the chamber's history by more than a year - and nearly 10 years less than the average leader," says the University of Minnesota "Smart Politics" report.

June 20, 2014
Not quite done with politics? Mitt Romney tops 14 other contenders in a new presidential poll and is crowned a "kingmaker" in the press. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Miss Mitt yet?

"Mitt Romney? Well, at least he still looks the part," says one New England-based voter who is not surprised with a few startling numbers out of New Hampshire. Garnering 24 percent of the support among likely GOP voters, Mr. Romney led a list of 14 potential Republican presidential hopefuls by a mammoth margin in the Granite State.

June 19, 2014
Iraqi Army soldiers parade inside the main army recruiting center during a recruiting drive for men to volunteer for military service in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, June 19, 2014, after authorities urged Iraqis to help battle insurgents. The campaign by the al-Qaida-inspired Islamic State militants has raised the specter of the sectarian warfare that nearly tore the country apart in 2006 and 2007, with the popular mobilization to fight the insurgents taking an increasingly sectarian slant, particularly after Iraq's top Shiite cleric made a call to arms on Friday. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)y the country's top Shiite cleric to join the fight against Sunni militants advancing in the north. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim)

Talking about Iraq? Why you should say ‘ISIL’ - not “ISIS’

For the news media, tracking terrorism demands accuracy and consistency lest the public get confused. From The Associated Press, which rules on journalistic grammar - or the lack thereof - comes news that "ISIL" rather than "ISIS" is the best term for the al Qaeda splinter group leading Sunni militants in Iraq.

June 19, 2014
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers a keynote address during a luncheon in Edmonton, Alberta on Wednesday June 18, 2014. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jason Franson)

Ready - or NOT - for Hillary: why she’s not likely to run in 2016

Yes, she has a mammoth marketing machine, a carefully crafted resume and sparkling approval ratings. But is Hillary Rodham Clinton really going to run for president? One school of thought says she’s simply holding a place in line for a Democratic dream team to come, thereby engaging the public with some good political theater.

June 19, 2014
** FILE ** Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (Associated Press)

Chicago-style: Bill Clinton to fundraise for Rahm Emanuel

There are some in Chicago who still entertain the notion that Mayor Rahm Emanuel will somehow end up in the 2016 presidential race, either in the lead role himself, or as a vice presidential running mate of Hillary Rodham Clinton. This week, however, Mr. Emanuel's thoughts are with Bill Clinton. who journeys to Chicago on Friday to headline a fundraiser for his former senior adviser

June 18, 2014
President Barack Obama speaks at the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) fundraiser gala in Gotham Hall, Tuesday, June 17, 2014, in New York. The fundraiser comes a day after the White House announced plans for Obama to sign an executive order that would prohibit federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Inside the Beltway: ‘Time for Obama to be president’

It is an odd juxtaposition. News coverage now includes such alarming headlines as "The Battle of Baghdad" and "Will ISIS plan a 9/11-style terror plot against the US?" — even as the press scrambles to follow a restless White House and a president engaged in fundraisers, photo-ops and, to date, 176 golfing expeditions.

June 17, 2014
Amal Alamuddin, human rights lawyer and fiancee of US actor George Clooney attends the 'End Sexual Violence in Conflict' summit in London, Thursday, June 12, 2014. The Summit welcomes governments from over 100 countries, over 900 experts, NGOs, Faith leaders, and representatives from international organizations across the world. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Inside the Beltway: Behold candidate George Clooney

Hollywood on the Potomac: It is the stuff of fabulous dreams in the foreign press. Multiple overseas news organizations have become convinced that actor George Clooney is going to run for office in California, and possibly end up in the White House with a British first lady by his side. Journalists have already penned the script.

June 16, 2014