Jake Tapper

Jake Tapper is an American journalist, author, and cartoonist. He is the host of the weekday television news show "The Lead with Jake Tapper" on CNN and "State of the Union" on Sunday mornings. He has won numerous awards for his journalism, including three Merriman Smith Memorial Awards and a National Headliner Award.

Jake Tapper graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Dartmouth College, where he was a member of the Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity. He then attended the University of Southern California, where he earned a master's degree in journalism.

Jake Tapper is the author of three books. His first book, "Body Slam: The Jesse Ventura Story," was published in 1999. His second book, "Down and Dirty: The Plot to Steal the Presidency," was published in 2001. His most recent book, "The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor," was published in 2012 and became a New York Times Best Seller.

Jake Tapper has described himself as a pragmatic progressive and has called himself a centrist, independent, and left-leaning analyst. However, he has also been criticized by some conservatives for what they perceive as a liberal bias in his reporting.

Before joining CNN, Jake Tapper worked for ABC News as the senior White House correspondent and later as the anchor of the Sunday morning program "This Week." He has covered a wide range of major news events, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the 2008 presidential election, and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.