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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

FILE - In this May 27, 2014, file photo President Barack Obama speaks about the future of US troops in Afghanistan at the White House in Washington. Obama stood in the Rose Garden and outlined a timetable for the gradual withdrawal of the last U.S. troops in Afghanistan. He confidently declared, "This is how wars end in the 21st century." But less than three weeks later, there is a sudden burst of uncertainty surrounding the way Obama has moved to bring the two conflicts he inherited to a close. In Iraq, a fast-moving Islamic insurgency is pressing toward Baghdad, raising the possibility of fresh American military action more than two years after the last U.S. troops withdrew. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Inside the Beltway: And the fundraising goes on

Wait, President Obama is off to attend two Democratic National Committee fundraisers on Tuesday, even as the Iraq situation intensifies? Why, yes, he is. Both galas are in New York, and they follow Mr. Obama's previous weekend fundraiser near Los Angeles.

June 15, 2014
Gary E. Johnson, the 2012 Libertarian candidate for president. (Associated Press)

Libertarians get ready to rumble at their national convention

While gleeful journalists stoke stories about polarization between the Democratic and Republican parties, the Libertarians seem oblivious to partisan angst, touting their write-in candidates on primary ballots around the nation, and quietly noting that their voter registration has increased by 11 percent in the past year. They're also ready to rumble. The three-day Libertarian Convention begins June 26 in Columbus, Ohio. I

June 13, 2014
Sen. John McCain has suggested David Petraeus be put in charge of a new national security team to deal with Islamic militants in Iraq. (associated press)

Inside the Beltway: Fire up Air Force One

The Bergdahl matter, unrest in Iraq, assorted alarming uprisings, Hillary Clinton's book tour — oh, it's a complicated weekend, indeed. But political life goes on, and the siren call of Democratic fundraisers is now going off at the White House.

June 12, 2014
This undated image provided by the U.S. Army shows Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. U.S. officials say the only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan has been freed and is in U.S. custody. The officials say Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's (boh BURG'-dahl) release was part of a negotiation that includes the release of five Afghan detainees held in the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (AP Photo/U.S. Army)

Americans wonder: should we negotiate with terrorists for safe release of U.S. prisoners?

In the wake of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's rescue, Americans wonder: Is it worth negotiating with terrorists for the safe release of U.S. prisoners, or is it more important to discourage terrorists from taking prisoners by refusing to deal with them? The nation overall is divided on the answer, a new Gallup poll finds, but there's a huge partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats.

June 12, 2014
The Washington Times' building on New York Avenue in Washington, D.C. (The Washington Times) **FILE**

Washington Times journalists win 10 Dateline Awards

The Washington Times won 10 Dateline Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, a competition recognizing Washington-area journalists and news organizations for print, broadcast and online work done in 2013.

June 11, 2014
This Wednesday, May 28, 2014, photo shows seventh District US Congressional Republican candidate, David Brat, speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. Brat is challenging House majority leader Eric Cantor in the 7th district GOP congressional primary. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Inside the Beltway: The post-Cantor Brat pack

Aside from lurid tales of intrigue and titillation, there is nothing the news media likes better than a story of an unknown who rocks the world, particularly the Republican world.

June 11, 2014
National Seersucker Day has been reinstated in the halls of Congress. Happy in their seersucker suits: 28 lawmakers assembled in the US. Capitol to celebrate the moment. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Bill Cassidy)

National Seersucker Day: 28 lawmakers don their stripes and snap the photo

Thanks to a Louisiana Republican, the old bipartisan tradition of National Seersucker Day has been formally reinstated as of Wednesday on Capitol Hill. Rep Bill Cassidy made the proclamation in May for a return to the practice of wearing seersucker suits in the hallowed halls of Congress — a tradition established in 1996 by then-Sen. Trent Lott.

June 11, 2014
** FILE ** This March 15, 2013, file photo shows former Massachusetts Gov., and 2012 Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney at the 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Chris Christie, Rand Paul among GOP luminaries to meet with Mitt Romney

Even as the tea party flexes its muscle in midterm primaries, the press continues to murmur that "Romney Republicanism" is alive and well, and that Mitt Romney himself has turned into a kingmaker. He's not done with politics yet, and will underscore his increasingly pivotal role at a powerhouse gathering of Republican and conservative heavyweights most definitely closed to curious journalists. Come Thursday, Mr. Romney hosts a three-day policy summit and "leadership retreat" on his home turf in Utah.

June 11, 2014
Mitt Romney

Inside the Beltway: Mitt Romney enters ‘kingmaker’ mode

There are murmurs that "Romney Republicanism" is alive and well. Indeed, Mitt Romney is not done with politics yet, and will underscore his increasingly pivotal role this week at a powerhouse gathering of Republican and conservative heavyweights most definitely closed to the curious press.

June 10, 2014
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton applauds during introductions before addressing the World Bank Group's report "Voice and Agency: Empowering Women and Girls for Shared Prosperity" at World Bank headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, May 14, 2014. The report focuses on pervasive constraints facing women and girls worldwide. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Hillary Clinton fatigue already? The perils of too much, too soon

There's trouble when too much showbiz sneaks into politics. Entertainment and shrill trappings often trumps even simple truths before distracted voters; valuable and authentic moments can get lost in the manufactured hubbub. The situation is fraught with peril for politicians and presidential hopefuls scrambling to establish their "brand". Hillary Clinton's monumental return to public radar is a test case.

June 10, 2014
A nimble Sarah Palin has already offered commentary on Hillary Clinton's memoir before its publication. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Inside the Beltway: The Bergdahl rescue — right or wrong?

A new Pew Research Center poll asked Americans the difficult question about the return of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, and this is what they found: "Overall, 56 percent say the U.S. has a responsibility to do all it can to return an American captive soldier, no matter what the circumstances; 29 percent say that because Bergdahl left his post, the U.S. was not obligated to do all it could to secure his release."

June 9, 2014
FILE - This image taken from video obtained from Voice Of Jihad Website, authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows men in civilian clothing leading Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, in white, towards a helicopter in eastern Afghanistan. Bergdahl was freed on May 31, 2014, in exchange for five Afghan detainees held in the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Two American values, never leave a man behind and never negotiate with terrorists, collided in the Bergdahl calamity. Each ethos runs deep in the American conscience, yet has been violated through history and notably in the age of terrorism, where traditional standards of warfare, spying and negotiating are run through a hall of mirrors. (AP Photo/Voice Of Jihad Website via AP video)

71 percent of Republicans say Bergdahl exchange the ‘wrong thing to do’

A new Pew Research Center asked Americans the difficult question about the return of Sgt. Bowe Bergdhal, and this is what they found: "Reactions to the Bergdahl case are deeply divided along partisan lines. Fully 71 percent of Republicans think the prisoner exchange was the wrong thing to do, while just 16 percent say it was the right thing to do. Democrats, by more than two-to-one (55 percent to 24 percent), have a positive opinion of the agreement," the survey says.

June 9, 2014
Hard Choices, Hillary Clinton's new memoir. (Simon & Schuster)

Book tour down the presidential trail: Campaign bus to accompany author Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton's long awaited memoir "Tough Choices" will be published Tuesday, which also marks the first day of her multi-city, month-long book tour to support it. Then there's that bus. A new, shiny campaign-style bus emblazoned with slogans and portraits of Mrs. Clinton will accompany her from stop to stop on her promotional tour.

June 8, 2014
Richard Viguerie has been dubbed the "funding father" of modern conservative strategy.

Thad Cochran Effect: Conservative kingpin calls for boycott of GOP committee

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has launched a "Grab a Bite With Mitt" contest for those who would relish a future meal with Mitt Romney at a Boston restaurant. Indeed, the committee covers lodging, airfare and of course the eats. But one conservative maven now calls for a boycott of the organization.

June 6, 2014
National Republican Senatorial Committee has launched a "Grab a Bite With Mitt" contest for those who would relish a meal with Mitt Romney in Boston. (National Republican Senatorial Committee)

Inside the Beltway: On the radar

An interesting strategic alliance yields a noteworthy policy event next week. The Washington Times, the American Civil Liberties Union and Microsoft Corp. have combined forces to produce "Privacy in America: The NSA, the Constitution and the USA Freedom Act," which has drawn some heavyweight thinkers with institutional knowledge, wisdom and streets smarts.

June 5, 2014
Ronald Reagan

Washington Times poll: Big majority says Reagan would have been a tea partier

Ronald Reagan was an optimistic man of the people with a sense of history and a respect for the most basic founding values of America. It is no surprise, then, that an active Washington Times poll reveals that at least six-out-of-10 readers say that Reagan would have aligned himself with the tea party.

June 5, 2014
Monica Lewinsky. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

Monica Lewinsky, Newt Gingrich now among America’s historic ‘unexpected newsmakers’

Americans will be reminded all over again about former President Bill Clinton's dalliance with a former White House intern by - oddly enough - the National Geographic Channel. The network has reframed Monica Lewinsky's experiences as among "captivating stories of unexpected newsmakers in the '90s." She has company. Here comes a whole new miniseries devoted to firsthand interviews with 120 people swept up in one thing or another.

June 5, 2014
Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, says his group's three-day "Road to Majority" conference beginning June 19 will feature a host of conservative luminaries as speakers. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: ‘From Benghazi to Bergdahzi’

"We've gone from Benghazi to Bergdahzi," proclaims a headline at Fark.com, the online news site that specializes in cheeky, often outrageous headlines. This time, however, the headline is not far off the mark.

June 4, 2014