CNN anchor Jake Tapper drew criticism Thursday (Dec. 4) after misidentifying alleged DC bomb suspect Brian Cole Jr. during his broadcast of The Lead with Jake Tapper. as a “white man”.
The remark came moments before photos of Cole, who is black, appeared on air, highlighting the mistake.
Brian Cole Jr., 30, was arrested Thursday morning nearly five years after surveillance footage captured a masked figure placing explosive devices outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican National Committees in Washington, DC on January 5, 2021. He faces charges of transporting an explosive device across state lines and attempted malicious destruction with explosives.
About Jake Tapper
Jacob Paul Tapper, born on March 12, 1969 in New York and raised in Philadelphia, is a highly decorated American journalist and anchor anchor for CNN in Washington. He hosts The Lead with Jake Tapper and co-hosts Sunday’s State of the Union.
During his career, Tapper won several Emmy Awards and other journalism awards for his coverage of major national and international events, including the Boston Marathon bombing, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Tapper’s career began in print and radio, writing for the Washington City Paper, Salon, and The New Yorker, among others, before joining ABC News in 2003. There he covered national politics and the White House, winning three Merriman Smith Awards for Outstanding Reporting. He joined CNN in 2013 and has since become known for his incisive interviews with political figures across the spectrum, moderating major presidential debates and reporting on critical events from Capitol Hill to international conflict zones.
Tapper is also a best-selling author, with works including The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor and the political thriller The Hellfire Club.
