As the nation grapples with the news of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, CNN’s Jake Tapper has gone viral for his candid and shocked reaction to Vice President Kamala Harris falling short of President Joe Biden’s 2020 performance in every state.
The moment unfolded on Wednesday morning when Tapper asked CNN’s chief national correspondent, John King, to display a visual of states where Harris had outperformed Biden by at least 3 percent in his 2020 win over Trump.
King pulled up the election map, and to Tapper’s astonishment, the display was entirely gray, indicating that there were no such states.
“Holy smokes!” Tapper exclaimed, visibly stunned. “Literally nothing?”
“Literally nothing,” King confirmed.
The exchange quickly trended online, with Tapper’s incredulous reaction becoming a viral moment. The visuals on the map, typically highlighted in red or blue during election coverage, showed no areas where Harris had surpassed Biden’s margins.
King then zoomed in on counties instead, hoping to reveal some positive news.
“In 58 counties, she did better,” King explained, “but Trump was over a thousand counties ahead out of the 4,600 counties and townships across America,” as reported by the New York Post.
He added, “There might be more results coming from the West Coast, but in the key battleground states, only one county in Pennsylvania showed Harris outperforming Biden by 3 percent or more.”
The clip has since circulated widely on social media, with many conservatives sharing Tapper’s surprised reaction.
The moment has highlighted the disappointment within the Democratic Party, which had hoped Harris could secure a victory and reinvigorate their base, especially after she stepped in for Biden, who was seen as a vulnerable candidate against Trump.
Harris took over as the Democratic nominee following widespread concerns about Biden’s ability to face Trump in a 2024 rematch, particularly after his shaky performance during the first presidential debate.
Despite calls from prominent Democrats to suspend his re-election bid, Biden had remained determined to stay in the race.
Harris’ electoral performance, however, did not meet the party’s expectations. As results rolled in, Trump maintained strong leads in critical states.
The panic within the Democratic ranks grew when Trump was projected to win North Carolina, a significant electoral prize. By the time Pennsylvania, another vital battleground, was called for Trump, the outcome seemed increasingly clear.
Trump’s victory was solidified when he was declared the winner in Wisconsin, pushing him past the required 270 electoral votes to secure the presidency.
He ended the night with 277 electoral votes, leaving Democrats to reflect on what went wrong.
Tapper’s shock was a reflection of many within his party, as the election results underscored Trump’s enduring support and the challenges Harris faced in mobilizing voters in key areas.
The viral clip continues to be shared and debated as the nation digests another seismic shift in American politics.