Power Grid Update: Fox News Vs. The White House? ABC’s Jake Tapper Wins!

Last week, Jake Tapper‘s potential facial hair (and high profile interviews) made him a big gain on the Power Grid — all the way up to the #2 spot behind MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell. Poised to strike, Tapper made the most of an increased profile this week, challenging White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and the White House’s attack on Fox News.

Tapper was quick to show public solidarity with his fellow network, asking Gibbs pointedly, “I’m not talking about their opinion programming or issues you have with certain reports. I’m talking about saying thousands of individuals who work for a media organization, do not work for a ‘news organization’ – why is that appropriate for the White House to say?” His news-making gall was enough to take the #1 spot among TV Reporters while Mitchell fell four spots to #5.

With buzz for The September Issue finally dying down, and layoffs sweeping Condé Nast, Anna Wintour was unseated this week at #1 among Magazine Editors by Jon Meacham, whose Newsweek is enjoying a burst of rejuvenation after it took a different editorial direction this summer.

Elsewhere, eternal Power Grid mover and shaker, ESPN’s Erin Andrews, made another power play, moving from the #21 slot all the way up to #4 among TV Reporters. Andrews has been in and out of the news with her nude video scandal and subsequent lawsuit and that has done well for her Power Grid standings, with her blog and news buzz holding steady. Her stalker’s first date in court is this week.

Ann Coulter went from #8 right to #3 among TV Pundits this week, on the heels of her always controversial television appearances (this week on Fox News) including this stop by Joy Behar‘s show. Elsewhere among pundits, Andrew Sullivan continued his climb, moving from #7 to #5, and aided by some noticeable blog buzz doubtlessly aided by his day job as a blogger for the Atlantic. Sullivan also sits at #16 among Online Editors.

NBC’s Jim Bell moved from #3 to #1 among TV Executives, while a re-run for Saturday Night Live and a lag in momentum since the beginning of the season sent Lorne Michaels falling from #2 to #5. We’ll see how he bounces back when the show returns with Taylor Swift as host on November 7th.

Check out the rest of the rankings here.