ABC News' Jake Tapper heading to CNN to assume anchor duties

Brett T. | 5:01 PM on December 20, 2012

It’s sad to think the best way for a journalist to distinguish himself these days is to actually ask questions that aren’t on the pre-approved topics list, but ABC’s Jake Tapper has been doing that a bit lately. Only yesterday he drew the ire of the president by asking where’s he’s been for the last four years on the issue of guns, and he’s one of the few outside of Fox News who bothered to address Benghazigate (albeit a little late, but better late than never). And today he treated us to a peek inside his “Press Secretary-to-English Dictionary.”

http://twitter.com/TxAv8r/statuses/281878548694847489

So is it any surprise that Tapper has announced he’s leaving ABC News for the more conservative … CNN?

Big, big addition for CNN with Jake Tapper.

— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) December 20, 2012

Tapper's leaving the WH. I'm in Miami, and I can see Carney's smile from here.

— Sam Youngman (@samyoungman) December 20, 2012

Per ABC release, @jaketapper will be a CNN anchor. Congrats!

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) December 20, 2012

Congrats to @jaketapper for new CNN anchor gig

— Steve Holland (@steveholland1) December 20, 2012

Most likely time slot for @JakeTapper: 4 or 6pm. "The Situation Room," now 3 hours, will return to 2 (like it used to be).

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 20, 2012

An anchor position? That would explain the move. CNN says he’ll also serve as CNN’s chief Washington correspondent. We were getting to like Tapper in the White House briefing room, where in August he had the guts to zing the president with the line, “Don’t be a stranger,” after Obama left the podium following a rare appearance before the press.

The news of Tapper’s departure was said to be a sobering development for some at ABC.