CNN’s Jake Tapper Is Reportedly in the Crosshairs of Republican Operatives, so He Created #TapperDirtFiles
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty
Jonathan Swan at Axios reported today that:
A source with direct knowledge tells Axios that Republican operatives were urging at least one conservative-friendly website to write Jake Tapper hit pieces yesterday after his hard-hitting interview with Kellyanne Conway.
Here is a snippet of the interview that supposedly rankled some in the Republican Party.
.@jaketapper to Kellyanne Conway: Why hasn’t the President offered his sympathy to our neighbors in the North? https://t.co/YoJ9OYk7d1
— CNN (@CNN) February 7, 2017
Tapper reached out to Swan this morning to ask if this was speculation or reporting, and upon getting confirmation, officially threw down the gauntlet.
So now we sit and wait to see which obedient attack dog follows orders. Arf arf!! https://t.co/GXBrHDblQp
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 8, 2017
He then created the hashtag #TapperDirtFile, beginning with a gem that cut right to this sports fan’s funny bone.
Long suffering Philly sports fan. Wished that @gehrig38 had been on mound instead of Mitch Williams. Santa had it coming #TapperDirtFile
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 8, 2017
If you’re unfamiliar with what “Santa had it coming” means, check out the video explaining why Santa Claus got pelted with snow balls at an Eagles game. Philly sports fans don’t mess around. Here are some other #TapperDirtFiles straight from the horse’s mouth:
In high school bought and repeatedly listened to Bruce Willis‘ album “The Return of Bruno.” #TapperDirtFile
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 8, 2017
This was tough for me to admit publicly. But the American people deserve honesty from their late afternoon cable news anchors. https://t.co/YJimLGwFUt
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 8, 2017
Favorite @TheJeffBridges movie is “Somebody Killed Her Husband”#TapperDirtFilespic.twitter.com/axFgmtsws2
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 8, 2017
My mother is an immigrant.
From Canada. #TapperDirtFile
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 8, 2017
Plenty of others joined the fun as well, with Tapper retweeting all of the following (note: his profile states “RT do not = endorsement”).
Has posters of Carson Wentz with hearts drawn on them. #TapperDirtFilehttps://t.co/HTYLJt8DW8
— Ben White (@morningmoneyben) February 8, 2017
(Carson Wentz is the 24-year-old rookie quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles.)
His new dog was barely in the door before it had a Twitter account #TapperDirtFile
— David Hines (@hradzka) February 8, 2017
Jake Tapper invited people to a Super Bowl party, only to show them C SPAN videos on VHS #TapperDirtFile
— Campaign Karaoke (@CampaignKaraoke) February 8, 2017
I once witnessed @jaketapper double dip his tortilla chip in the salsa bowl. #TapperDirtFile
— G O L D I E. (@goldietaylor) February 8, 2017
@jaketapper successfully lobbied against CNN’s 1 beard policy.
…Wolf Blitzer hasn’t spoken to him since #TapperDirtFile
— Jack Tweets ???????? (@jackTweets11) February 8, 2017
Tapper quoted this Bradley Moss tweet and said “Because it was totally fetch!”
.@jaketapper thought Mean Girls deserved a sequel.#TapperDirtFile
— Bradley P. Moss, Esq (@BradMossEsq) February 8, 2017
And finally, kudos to @VladamirTootin for coming up with easily my favorite #TapperDirtFile of the day.
Enjoys long walks on Kellyanne Conway’s dignity. #TapperDirtFile
— Love Trumps Hate (@VladamirTootin) February 8, 2017
This is our best weapon against the evil permeating our world: humor. Comedy is not only a reaction, but an antidote to pain, and it inherently reveals hypocrisy. Jake Tapper is the ultimate pro, as he has become something of a cult hero amongst liberals since Trump’s inauguration, and had already gained the respect of conservatives by being one of the few journalists consistently questioning the Obama administration in a sea of fawning.
News anchors are supposed to be stuffy, but Tapper has taken that persona and molded it to fit the 21st century. His 4 pm EST broadcast has become this writer’s new daily news recap, as it has seemingly embraced a tone straight out of Seinfeld—as every official line about whatever nonsense is currently spewing from Trumplandia is layered with an incredulous tone to the viewer of “can you believe this shit?” Jake Tapper is the hero Gotham deserves AND the one it needs right now.
Jacob Weindling is Paste’s business and media editor, as well as a staff writer for politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling.