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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

Survivors of shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School rally for gun control on the steps of the state capitol, in Tallahassee, Florida. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: 45% of Americans approve of arming teachers

President Trump consistently offers staunch support for arming teachers or other school personnel to protect the young people under their charge. One major poll has found that while the majority of Americans are uncomfortable with the idea, a "sizable minority" approves of it.

February 26, 2018
DraintheNRA.com is one of several new activist groups which support a "boycott" of the National Rifle Association. Several have websites, too. (DraintheNRA.com)

Inside the Beltway: Aggressive ‘NRA boycott’ expands and organizes

Boycott NRA, a newly formed activist group, has launched a public petition calling for commercial concerns to cut ties with the National Rifle Association. The cause already has topped 30,000 signatures, and it is one of about a dozen similar petitions launched on Change.org, which provides a free online platform for public pleas and causes — to the tune of 1,000 petitions a day.

February 25, 2018
NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch fields questions, sitting next to Broward Sheriff Scott Israel during a CNN town hall meeting. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: CNN gets aggressive over ratings

CNN's recent town hall on guns in America was a tense broadcast event that sparked controversy and ignored industry ethics meant to preserve decorum and fairness on the airwaves. Things change. The two-hour program boldly breached barriers between entertainment, news and reality TV. But it also garnered big ratings for CNN, attracting an audience of 3 million - about three times the number of viewers the network would typically attract during that time period.

February 22, 2018
The Conservative Political Action Conference — CPAC — opens Wednesday and lasts until Saturday. The organizers have released the speakers list and official agenda, and it's got plenty to offer. (American Conservative Union)

Inside the Beltway: Start your engines: CPAC arrives Wednesday

The Conservative Political Action Conference - CPAC - rumbles to life in 24 hours. Doors open Wednesday for activism training and assorted receptions that herald a mammoth event which cheers up conservatives, whether they attend or not.

February 19, 2018
The Women’s March Network plans to stage a “student walkout” on the one-month anniversary of the horrific Parkland shooting. (Women’s March Network)

Inside the Beltway: ‘You are either with us or against us’

Students who witnessed the school shooting last week in Parkland, Florida, have already organized a "March for Our Lives" in Washington next month which has quickly gained traction after the young organizers appeared on multiple Sunday talk shows to make their case - particularly to unnamed lawmakers.

February 18, 2018
This March 15, 2013, file photo shows Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and the 2012 Republican presidential candidate, at the 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md. (Associated Press)

Mitt Romney’s chances of winning U.S. Senate seat slim, says historical analysis

Mitt Romney has declared his intention to run for the U.S. Senate seat in Utah. But what are his chances of winning, historically speaking? Not so good according to a unique analysis from Eric Ostermeier, a University of Minnesota political professor who gauged the odds for former presidential hopefuls who run for the lesser office. A dozen have tried, but only three succeeded.

February 16, 2018
What once was: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton with running mate Sen. Tim Kaine at the Democratic National Convention. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Democrats in search of a brand

Maybe the Democratic Party is worried about their money and their message. Maybe an identity crisis is in progress as the midterm elections loom. Whatever the cause, many Americans appear to be associating Democrats with obstruction and fury rather than productivity and good will. Rivals are noticing this trend, and are only too happy to craft a message around it.

February 14, 2018
The numbers are clear: There's a glow on Main Street and a soaring stock market seven months into the Trump administration. (Photo of Main Street in Chesterton, Indiana, by Chris Light)

Trump bump: Small business ‘optimism index’ breaks a 45-year record

Main Street continues to flourish under the Trump administration. The National Federation of Independent Business reports that optimism is at a 45-year high among America's small businesses. The "Small Business Optimism Index" -- a monthly gauge of sentiment among the owners -- broke the record for the measurement, established 45 years ago.

February 14, 2018
A new book by Newt Gingrich schools voters and the media in understanding Donald Trump, described as a unique, brilliant and very productive president. (Center Street)

Inside the Beltway: Gingrich schools the public in ‘Understanding Trump’

Much of the current political discourse consists of incendiary bursts of outrage and indignation from Democrats over the Trump White House, every syllable amplified by the news media, happy to cover the fireworks as they come and go. But there is another dynamic at work as well. Politics is also a long march with enduring themes - which is where books come in.

February 11, 2018
Some Republican strategists see President Trump's skills in creating spectacle and working the media as an asset for the midterm races. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Trump’s political savvy, showmanship now considered ‘unique asset’

Whether his critics like it or not, President Trump has a knack for creating productive political spectacle that can engage the voting public on a grand scale. Mr. Trump is also a master of media tactics — not surprising, since he was a famous commodity on reality TV for years and is deft at producing buzz-worthy tweets and lasting narratives. Journalists, in act, simply can't get enough of Mr. Trump, even if he infuriates them. The president is flexible — comfortable on late-night TV, the global stage, a jumbo rally or among the faithful. Mr. Trump, in fact, will address the 66th Annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday.

February 7, 2018
President Trump's image looms over the New York Stock Exchange, even as many news organizations tried to blame him for the plunge. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Media blames Trump for stock market woes

It was a foregone conclusion that news coverage would blame President Trump for the stock market plunge — but never credit him for its record-breaking rise. There's some history here. Many journalists ignored the spectacular stock market climb after Mr. Trump took office, as one record after another was shattered and Americans cautiously grinned over their 401(k) plans.

February 6, 2018
Tuesday marks what would have been Ronald Reagan's 107th birthday. His fans still celebrate the moment, while some now guard his legacy. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Tuesday marks the 107th birthday of Ronald Reagan, and his enduring legacy

That Gipper cachet has not ebbed. On Tuesday, fans of Ronald Reagan around the nation will mark what would have been his 107th birthday. There are big doings at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, of course. The Camp Pendleton Marine Division Band will be on hand, plus a color guard, chaplain, and a brass quintet. There's a 21-gun salute plus a hearty, old-school birthday lunch with a menu featuring roast chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans almondine and chocolate birthday cake with vanilla ice cream.

February 5, 2018