Skip to content
TRENDING:
Donald Trump
Advertisement
Author profile
Jennifer Harper

Jennifer Harper

jharper@washingtontimes.com

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

Articles by Jennifer Harper

In this May 21, 2021 photo, a person holds a mask while walking outside in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

COVID-19 worries come roaring back

It is disheartening but understandable news. Many Americans are revisiting their initial fears about COVID-19 in recent days as the infection rates in the U.S. increase. Over two-thirds of U.S. adults -- 68% -- think the situation is "getting worse," according to a new Gallup poll -- up from a mere 3% in June and 45% in July, the pollster says, citing its own surveys gauging public alarm.

September 7, 2021
“In the Company of Heroes: The Inspiring Stories of Medal of Honor Recipients from America’s Longest Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq” by James Kitfield offers the stories of 31 of these heroes. (Image courtesy of Center Street)

The true heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan

A new book has arrived with a timely reminder to one and all. "In the Company of Heroes: The Inspiring Stories of Medal of Honor Recipients from America's Longest Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq" by James Kitfield has a very succinct beginning. "Dedicated to the uniformed volunteers who answered the call and fought their nation's longest wars after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks: The New Greatest Generation," the author wrote in his dedication.

September 5, 2021
President Biden speaks with members of the press before leaving Washington for a weekend at his home in Delaware. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Yes, Biden is off on vacation

The eagle-eyed GOP maintains an ongoing White House watch, and they don't miss much. The president is back on vacation.

September 2, 2021
U.S military aircraft takes off at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021.(AP Photo/Wali Sabawoon) ** FILE **

Journalists now stranded in Afghanistan

U.S.-friendly journalists are still in Afghanistan, left behind following the recent exodus of U.S. troops, support teams and other personnel. The journalists left behind have worked under the umbrella of the U.S. Agency for Global Media -- USAGM -- an independent federal agency that oversees such global media entities as the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe.

September 1, 2021
Republican trust in the news media now stands at 35% — compared to 78% of Democrats who say they do trust the media. A Pew Research Center analysis says it is the largest partisan gap in five years. (AP photo)

Republican trust in news media plunges

Republicans have been wary of the media for decades, most put off by such irritants as a pronounced liberal bias in much news coverage plus a tendency among journalists to mix news with opinion and political slant. The trend, however, has gotten worse.

August 30, 2021
In this July 12, 2021 file photo, radio talk show host Larry Elder and Republican candidate for California governor, poses for a photo in his studio in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

Larry Elder, California governor?

Conservative radio host Larry Elder continues his challenge to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the upcoming recall election -- and his bid for that office has drawn intense scrutiny.

August 29, 2021
Supporters cheer on former President Donald Trump after he spoke at a rally at the Lorain County Fairgrounds, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Wellington, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Trump draws big ratings for Newsmax

Former President Donald Trump still retains considerable appeal across select TV audiences, particularly on Newsmax, which recently offered live, wall-to-wall coverage of Mr. Trump's "Save America" rally in Cullman, Alabama -- an event which drew 50,000 people. The big doings did not warrant the same attention from the broadcast and cable competition. Newsmax, however, made a strategic decision to offer bodacious coverage of Mr. Trump and his event -- and enjoyed a ratings reward.

August 26, 2021
The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. (Associated Press)

Republicans set to win back Congress

Both Republicans and Democratic strategists should heed the results of a new NBC poll that suggests the GOP is primed for a positive outcome during the 2022 midterm elections.

August 25, 2021
In this May 4, 2013, file photo, National Rifle Association members listen to speakers during the NRA's annual Meetings and Exhibits at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. (Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)

NRA cancels annual meeting due to COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed yet another large event. The National Rifle Association has canceled its three-day annual meeting, which was set to begin in Houston on Sept. 3.

August 24, 2021
The 2,500-plus U.S. troops remaining in Afghanistan face a period of maximum uncertainty and vulnerability in the next few months. The Pentagon may have to send more U.S. forces to the country, at least temporarily, to help speed the withdrawal. (Associated Press/File)

Blame Afghanistan on ‘the suits not the boots’

Those who have experienced combat or who closely and painstakingly monitor U.S military operations often have the power to make a quick, pivotal observation about very complex situations. They can provide a minimal but perfectly calibrated summary of -- say -- the crisis in Afghanistan. The following phrase -- or a derivative of it -- has been used by a number of smart observers to describe the current situation in Afghanistan: "Blame the war on the suits, not the boots."

August 24, 2021
In this Aug. 22, 2021, photo provided by the U.S. Marines, a Marine with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit calms a crying toddler during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul Afghanistan. (Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)

Voters don’t blame Trump for Afghanistan

President Biden recently blamed former President Donald Trump for the Afghanistan crisis -- which prompted multiple news organizations to condemn Mr. Biden's words as inappropriate. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the partisan finger-pointing "pathetic." The American public concurs.

August 23, 2021
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at the Lorain County Fairgrounds, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Wellington, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Trump’s poll numbers creep up

Despite ongoing negative press, former President Donald Trump has some promising new poll numbers. According to an NBC News survey released Sunday, 25% of U.S. adults give Mr. Trump a "very positive" rating -- up 4 percentage points from a previous poll conducted by the network in April. Another 13% give Mr. Trump a "somewhat positive" review, up by 2 percentage points in the same period.

August 22, 2021
Afghan journalists film at the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

U.S. press steps up for Afghan journalists

U.S. journalists are looking out for their counterparts in Afghanistan. Executives from The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal contacted President Biden this week, requesting that he ensure an efficient and secure exit for Afghans who have helped Western news organizations and who now want to leave their nation.

August 19, 2021
One week in office: President Joe Biden delivers remarks on climate change and green jobs, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Biden brand takes a dive

News organizations that offered steadfast support for President Biden have jettisoned their complimentary coverage as the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, yielding toxic fallout for the White House.

August 18, 2021
Fox News host and syndicated radio talent Mark Levin speaks at the White House during a ceremony to present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Attorney General Edwin Meese on Oct. 8, 2019, in the White House. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) **FILE**

Conservative books triumph as sales surge

The nation favors books with conservative content, according to Publishers Weekly, an industry source which particularly cites sales numbers from Salem Media, a source for conservative-leaning books along with radio programming, online and on-demand video content, podcasts, websites and other fare.

August 17, 2021
In this March 30, 2021, file photo, young minors lie inside a "pod" at the Donna Department of Homeland Security holding facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, Pool, File)

Networks silent on the Biden border crisis

The "Big Three" broadcast networks continue to push a liberal bias and protect the White House, says a new report. Coverage of the immigration crisis on CBS, NBC and ABC has dropped by 96% in recent weeks, according to a new report from the Media Research Center.

August 16, 2021