History of Jake Tapper in Timeline
Jake Tapper is a prominent American journalist currently serving as the lead Washington anchor for CNN. He hosts "The Lead with Jake Tapper," a weekday news program, and co-hosts "State of the Union," a Sunday morning public affairs show. His role involves covering significant political events and interviewing key figures, solidifying his position as a major voice in American political journalism.
March 12, 1969: Jacob Paul Tapper Born
On March 12, 1969, Jacob Paul Tapper, who would become an American journalist and CNN anchor, was born.
1980: Schmidt MVP of 1980 World Series
In 1980, Mike Schmidt was the MVP of the World Series, which is why Jake Tapper wore a Philadelphia Phillies jersey with Schmidt's name during a cameo on "The Rookie" in 2022.
1991: Tapper Graduates from Dartmouth College
In 1991, Jake Tapper graduated from Dartmouth College Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude with a B.A. in history, modified by Visual Studies.
1992: Tapper Works for Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky
In 1992, Jake Tapper served as a campaign press secretary for Democratic congressional candidate Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky (PA-13) and later served as her congressional press secretary.
1993: The Complete Peanuts 1993 to 1994 published
In 1993, "The Complete Peanuts 1993 to 1994" was published, to which Jake Tapper would later write the introduction in 2014.
1994: Capitol Hell comic strip in Roll Call
From 1994, Jake Tapper's comic strip "Capitol Hell" appeared in Roll Call.
December 1997: Date with Monica Lewinsky
In December 1997, Jake Tapper went on a platonic date with Monica Lewinsky, a few weeks before news broke of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal.
1997: Tapper Works for Handgun Control, Inc.
In 1997, Jake Tapper worked for Handgun Control, Inc. (now the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence).
January 1998: Wrote about date with Lewinsky
In January 1998, Jake Tapper wrote about his platonic date with Monica Lewinsky in the Washington City Paper.
1998: Tapper Begins Full-Time Journalism Career
In 1998, Jake Tapper began his full-time journalism career and became a senior writer for the Washington City Paper for two years.
1999: Tapper Becomes Washington Correspondent for Salon
In 1999, Jake Tapper became the Washington correspondent for Salon.
2000: Author of Down and Dirty: The Plot to Steal the Presidency
In 2000, Jake Tapper authored "Down and Dirty: The Plot to Steal the Presidency", a book based on the 2000 Presidential election.
2001: Tapper Hosts CNN News Talk Show Take Five
In 2001, Jake Tapper hosted the CNN news talk show Take Five and was a columnist for TALK Magazine.
2001: Hosted Take Five on CNN
In 2001, Jake Tapper hosted the program Take Five on CNN, where young journalists and commentators discussed politics and pop culture.
2002: Hosted Entertainment News Specials on VH1
In 2002, Jake Tapper hosted a series of entertainment news specials on VH1.
2002: Tapper Contributes to VH1 News Specials
In 2002, Jake Tapper was the correspondent for a series of VH1 news specials and his work was included in The Best American Political Writing 2002.
2002: Tapper's Enron Reports Nominated for Award
In 2002, Jake Tapper's reports about Enron were nominated for a Columbia University School of Journalism online award, and he questioned the Bush administration's claims about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction.
2003: Hosted Shows on Sundance Channel
In 2003, Jake Tapper hosted shows focused on independent film on the Sundance Channel.
2003: End of Capitol Hell comic strip
In 2003, Jake Tapper's comic strip "Capitol Hell" stopped appearing in Roll Call after running since 1994.
2005: Tapper Wins Edward R. Murrow Award
In 2005, Jake Tapper contributed a report to a broadcast of World News Tonight with Peter Jennings that won the Edward R. Murrow Award for best network newscast.
2006: Marriage to Jennifer Marie Brown
In 2006, Jake Tapper married Jennifer Marie Brown, a former Planned Parenthood official, in her home state of Missouri.
November 5, 2008: Tapper Named Senior White House Correspondent
On November 5, 2008, Jake Tapper was named Senior White House Correspondent for ABC News, the day after the 2008 presidential election.
2008: Tapper Covers 2008 Presidential Election for ABC News
As ABC News' lead reporter, Jake Tapper covered the 2008 presidential election, interviewing various candidates and receiving recognition for his breaking stories and even-handedness.
July 6, 2009: Launch of Mediaite
On July 6, 2009, Dan Abrams launched Mediaite, which reports on media figures and ranks TV journalists by influence. Jake Tapper has been consistently recognized on this list.
July 2010: Tapper Serves as Interim Anchor of ABC's This Week
From March to July 2010, Jake Tapper was the interim anchor of ABC's This Week, hosting the program until Christiane Amanpour became the anchor.
August 1, 2010: Amanpour Takes Over as Anchor of This Week
On August 1, 2010, Christiane Amanpour took over from Jake Tapper as the anchor of ABC's This Week.
December 2010: Ranked Number Two on Mediaite
In December 2010, Jake Tapper was ranked number two on Mediaite's list of most influential TV-based journalists in America.
2010: Tapper's Contributions to ABC News Programs
In 2010, Jake Tapper contributed regularly to Good Morning America, Nightline, and World News with Diane Sawyer. He also anchored World News and Good Morning America weekend editions and Nightline, and served as interim host of This Week.
2010: Merriman Smith Memorial Award
In 2010, Jake Tapper received a Merriman Smith Memorial Award for reporting that President Obama had requested the resignation of Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis C. Blair (retired).
August 31, 2011: Guest on Judge John Hodgman Podcast
On August 31, 2011, Jake Tapper appeared on the Judge John Hodgman podcast as a guest bailiff in the episode "De Plane", standing in for regular bailiff Jesse Thorn.
2011: C.J. Rice imprisoned
In 2011, C.J. Rice was imprisoned in Pennsylvania, a case that would later be highlighted by Jake Tapper in The Atlantic, leading to Rice's exoneration.
2011: C.J. Rice wrongfully convicted
In 2011, C.J. Rice was wrongfully convicted of a shooting, a case which Jake Tapper would later champion the release of.
2011: Merriman Smith Memorial Award
In 2011, Jake Tapper received the Merriman Smith Memorial Award for presidential coverage under deadline pressure from the White House Correspondents' Association.
November 2012: The Outpost Debuts on The New York Times Best Seller List
In November 2012, Jake Tapper's book, "The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor," debuted at number 10 on The New York Times Best Seller list for hardback non-fiction.
December 20, 2012: Tapper Joins CNN
On December 20, 2012, it was announced that Jake Tapper would join CNN to anchor a new weekday program and serve as the network's chief Washington correspondent.
2012: Merriman Smith Memorial Award
In 2012, Jake Tapper received the Merriman Smith Memorial Award for presidential coverage under deadline pressure from the White House Correspondents' Association.
January 2013: Tapper Begins Hosting The Lead with Jake Tapper
In January 2013, Jake Tapper began with CNN, hosting his own program, "The Lead with Jake Tapper."
2013: The Lead with Jake Tapper Wins National Headliner Awards
In 2013, "The Lead with Jake Tapper" won three National Headliner Awards for its reporting, including coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing and Oklahoma tornadoes.
2014: The Lead Honored for Investigative Reporting on Academic Fraud
In 2014, "The Lead" was honored for a series of reports on academic fraud at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi Award for Investigative Reporting.
2014: Tex McCrary Award for Excellence in Journalism
In 2014, Jake Tapper was recognized by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society with the Tex McCrary Award for Excellence in Journalism for his book "The Outpost" and his reporting on military topics.
2014: Introduction to The Complete Peanuts 1993 to 1994
In 2014, Jake Tapper wrote the introduction to "The Complete Peanuts 1993 to 1994".
2014: American Battle Monuments Commission Policy Change
In 2014, the American Battle Monuments Commission changed a policy that had previously allowed families to pay for flowers to be placed on the graves of their loved ones in cemeteries abroad.
January 2015: Tapper's Reporting Leads to Policy Change on Caregiver Reimbursements
In January 2015, Jake Tapper's reporting on a new Pentagon policy led to the U.S. military changing a rule that was adversely impacting caregivers for wounded servicemembers.
June 2015: Tapper Becomes Host of CNN's State of the Union
In June 2015, Jake Tapper became the host of CNN's Sunday political show, State of the Union with Jake Tapper.
September 2015: CNN Republican Primary Debate Moderated by Tapper
In September 2015, Jake Tapper moderated a Republican primary debate on CNN that attracted over 23 million viewers, becoming the most-watched program in CNN's history and the second-most-watched primary debate ever.
September 16, 2015: Tapper Moderates Republican Primary Debates
On September 16, 2015, Jake Tapper moderated two Republican primary debates from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The main debate drew an average of 23.1 million viewers.
November 2015: Paris Attacks
In November 2015, The Lead covered the Paris attacks, which led to awards in 2016.
March 10, 2016: Tapper Moderates Republican Presidential Debate in Miami
On March 10, 2016, Jake Tapper moderated a Republican presidential debate in Miami, which drew nearly 12 million viewers and was praised for its substantive content.
March 2016: "The Infamous Tapper-Trump Exchange"
In March 2016, Mitt Romney referred to Jake Tapper's questioning of Donald Trump about denouncing support from white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, and David Duke as "the infamous Tapper-Trump exchange" in his speech condemning Trump.
May 23, 2016: Guest-illustrated Dilbert cartoon
During the week of May 23, 2016, Jake Tapper guest-illustrated the Dilbert cartoon, with the original drawings auctioned online to benefit the Homes for our Troops Foundation.
2016: National Headliner Awards for The Lead
In 2016, Jake Tapper's show "The Lead" received two National Headliner Awards for its coverage of the November 2015 Paris attacks, recognizing it as Best Newscast and for Best Coverage of a Major News Event.
2017: Los Angeles Press Club President's Award
In 2017, Jake Tapper received the Los Angeles Press Club's President's Award for Impact on Media, recognizing his willingness to take on politicians from both sides during a divisive election and his effective interview style.
2017: Tapper Receives Awards for Excellence in Journalism
In 2017, Jake Tapper received the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. He also received the John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association.
2017: RTDNA's John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award
In 2017, Jake Tapper was named Radio Television Digital News Association's John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award winner, which recognizes contributions to journalism and freedom of the press.
2017: Awards in 2017
In 2017, Jake Tapper won multiple awards, including the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Political Journalism, RTDNA's John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award, CJF's Tribute Award, Moment Magazine's inaugural Robert S. Greenberger Journalism Award, and the Dartmouth Club of Washington's Daniel Webster Award for Distinguished Public Service.
April 24, 2018: Publication of The Hellfire Club
On April 24, 2018, Little, Brown and Company published Jake Tapper's first novel, "The Hellfire Club", a political thriller set in 1950s Washington.
2018: Tapper Wins Merriman Smith Award for White House Reporting
In 2018, Jake Tapper was part of a CNN team that won the Merriman Smith Award for broadcast reporting on the White House under deadline pressure.
2018: Merriman Smith Award for Steele dossier news
In 2018, Jake Tapper was part of a team that was awarded a Merriman Smith Award for breaking the news that President-elect Donald Trump and President Obama had been briefed on the Steele dossier.
2018: Mediaite Recognition
In 2018, Jake Tapper was recognized on Mediaite for his "ability to hold Republicans and Democrats to account equally" and for his noteworthy moments, including the Parkland town hall and interviews with James Comey and Trump officials.
2018: Vetty Award in 2018
In 2018, Jake Tapper won a Vetty Award for his coverage of veterans' issues. He had also served alongside press corps veterans in Washington, D.C., for 14 years.
July 2020: Release of The Outpost film adaptation
In July 2020, the film adaptation of Jake Tapper's book, "The Outpost", was released, directed by Rod Lurie and starring Milo Gibson, Orlando Bloom, Scott Eastwood, and Caleb Landry Jones.
2020: Tapper's Reaction to the First 2020 Presidential Election Debate
Following the contentious first 2020 presidential election debate, Jake Tapper described it as a "hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck".
2020: The Lead Wins Emmy for "Madua's Blood Gold" Report
In 2020, a report for "The Lead" by correspondent Isa Sores, called "Madua's Blood Gold", was awarded an Emmy.
January 2021: Tapper's Role Expands at CNN
In January 2021, CNN announced that Jake Tapper's role would expand to be the network's "lead anchor for all major Washington events", and Dana Bash would join him as a co-host on State of the Union.
May 2021: Release of The Devil May Dance
In May 2021, Jake Tapper's sequel to "The Hellfire Club", titled "The Devil May Dance", was released, continuing the story of Charlie and Margaret Marder.
October 5, 2021: Discussed date with Lewinsky on The Lead
On October 5, 2021, Jake Tapper and Monica Lewinsky discussed their date on an episode of Tapper's CNN program, "The Lead with Jake Tapper".
October 2022: Wrote Atlantic Cover Story About C.J. Rice
In October 2022, Jake Tapper wrote a cover story for The Atlantic magazine about C.J. Rice, who was serving 30-60 years in prison. Tapper's story detailed Rice's inadequate counsel.
October 30, 2022: Cameo in The Rookie
On October 30, 2022, Jake Tapper made a cameo in the Halloween-themed episode of "The Rookie". He wore a Mike Schmidt Philadelphia Phillies jersey, and his son Jack appeared alongside him dressed as Captain Miller from "Saving Private Ryan".
2022: Top Dog at CNN according to Mediaite
In 2022, Mediaite called Jake Tapper "the top dog who could represent the CNN brand."
2022: The Lead Wins Emmy for "9-Year-Old Afghan Sold into Marriage" Story
In 2022, a story by Anna Coren on a "9-Year-Old Afghan Sold into Marriage" for "The Lead" was awarded an Emmy.
December 2023: C.J. Rice's Conviction Overturned
In December 2023, C.J. Rice's conviction was overturned, following Jake Tapper's reporting on the case in The Atlantic.
2023: Publication of All the Demons Are Here
In 2023, Jake Tapper published the third volume in his series, titled "All the Demons Are Here."
2023: Ranked Number Seven on Mediaite
In 2023, Jake Tapper ranked number seven on Mediaite, noted for his unrivaled skills as an interrogator on cable news.
2023: Emmy Awards in 2023
In 2023, Jake Tapper won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Breaking News Coverage as part of the team that covered the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Live News Special for being one of the co-anchors of "Live from the Capitol: January 6, One Year Later".
March 2024: C.J. Rice Exonerated
In March 2024, C.J. Rice was exonerated after Jake Tapper highlighted his case in The Atlantic, demonstrating the impact of investigative journalism.
March 18, 2024: Tapper broke news of C.J. Rice's exoneration
On March 18, 2024, Jake Tapper broke the news that Pennsylvania had freed and dropped the charges against C.J. Rice, a Philadelphian who had been in prison since 2011. Tapper had written a cover story for The Atlantic called "This Is Not Justice; A Philadelphia Teenager and the Empty Promise of the Sixth Amendment."
June 27, 2024: Tapper Co-Moderates Debate Between Biden and Trump
On June 27, 2024, Jake Tapper co-moderated a debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, which was viewed by more than 51 million people and influenced Biden's subsequent decision to end his 2024 presidential campaign.
September 2024: Misrepresented Rashida Tlaib's Statement
In September 2024, Jake Tapper misrepresented a statement from Michigan U.S. congresswoman Rashida Tlaib in an interview with Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer. He falsely rendered her criticism of Michigan attorney general as antisemitic. He later said he misspoke.
December 2024: Appeared on Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast
In December 2024, Jake Tapper appeared on the Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast, discussing and judging criterion sketches from the Lonely Island’s time at Saturday Night Live.
2024: Tapper Moderates GOP Primary Debate and Presidential Debate
In 2024 Jake Tapper moderated a GOP Primary Debate alongside Dana Bash between Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley before the Iowa caucuses. He also co-moderated the 2024 presidential election debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden alongside Bash in which Biden's disastrous performance led to his withdrawal from the race.
2024: Ranked 23rd on Mediaite
In 2024, Jake Tapper was ranked 23rd on Mediaite and recognized as one of America's preeminent anchors, earning headlines for moderating a presidential debate and championing the release of C.J. Rice.
2024: Tapper's Reporting on D-Day Anniversary Leads to Policy Reversal
In 2024, on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Jake Tapper reported on Gold Star families protesting a 2014 policy change by the American Battle Monuments Commission. After the piece aired, the White House pushed the ABMC to change the policy back.
2025: Publication of Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again
In 2025, Jake Tapper's book "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again" is scheduled to be published.
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