Jake Tapper’s Book Tour: A Case Study in Irony and Declining Ratings
Jake Tapper has been making the media rounds lately, promoting his new book that scrutinizes President Biden’s mental acuity. Ironically, while his efforts to raise awareness are meant to bolster his image, they appear to be doing just the opposite for his CNN show’s ratings.
In a rather alarming trend, Tapper’s program recorded its lowest ratings since 2015 in May. This begs the question: could the very claims he is making in his book be backfiring? By asserting that the media, including himself, failed to adequately cover Biden’s cognitive decline, Tapper inadvertently highlights his own role in the narrative he now critiques. Perhaps this self-incrimination is contributing to viewers tuning out.
FOX News reports:
“Jake Tapper’s CNN show hits lowest ratings since 2015 despite new Biden book buzz, intense publicity tour”
Despite a vigorous publicity campaign for his book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” Tapper saw his show hit a nearly decade-low in viewership. Released amidst significant fanfare, the book has fueled discussions regarding the Biden administration’s alleged concealment of the president’s fitness for office.
Tapper embarked on an extensive promotional tour, appearing on various podcasts and talk shows, with CNN heavily promoting the project. However, despite this media blitz, the anticipated boost in viewership has not materialized.
From April 28 to May 25, “The Lead with Jake Tapper” averaged only 525,000 total viewers, representing a 25% decline in audience compared to the same period last year.
A significant aspect of Tapper’s predicament may stem from his apparent belief that audiences have conveniently forgotten the past. In a recent commentary, he described how the Biden administration managed to “sell” a misleading narrative to a “gullible press,” which notably includes his own network.
Jake Tapper explains how the Biden White House was able to “sell” the Cheap Fakes false narrative to a “gullible press” including NYT and WAPO.
What Jake fails to mention is that this “gullible press” included his own network.
Of course, the “gullible press” cover is a lie in… pic.twitter.com/4kNG1lXPGR
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) May 29, 2025
The irony here is palpable: Tapper’s intention with this book seems to be an attempt to exonerate himself and the media from complicity in the Biden saga. Yet, this very act may ultimately lead to his professional undoing, as viewers remain skeptical of a narrative that seems more like a self-serving justification than a genuine critique.
