Don Lemon, co-host of CNN’s This Morning, drew harsh criticism and outrage on social media after stating during Thursday’s show that GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley was past her “prime” and that she should stop bringing up the ages of other politicians.
Haley, 51, argued that legislators above the age of 75 require competency tests. Lemon, 56 years old, responded. Haley made the comments on February 15, the first day of her presidential campaign.
On Thursday’s show, Lemon expressed his discomfort with the issue of aging and believed it was wrong to pursue it. He stated that Haley stated that older politicians were not in their prime, but she was also not in her prime.
The statement puzzled and shocked his other co-hosts, and their astonishment grew when Lemon asserted that women were considered to be in their prime between the ages of 20 and 40.
Poppy Harlow, 40, called Lemon out and questioned him, asking him to clarify what he was talking about and what women were prime for at different ages.
When challenged by Harlow, Lemon said, “Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are.”
After Lemon realized what he had said was clearly inappropriate, he tried to deny it and explain himself by stating that the statement that those ages were when women were in their prime was made by Google search, not Lemon.
Lemon blamed Google, alleging that when a woman’s prime age is searched, the results show that she is between the ages of 20 and 40.
Lemon said that Haley should stop saying that political leaders must be in their prime years to serve because, according to Google, she would not be in her prime either.
Lemon’s statements drew a lot of reaction and censure, with many arguing that he was sexist and politically biased.
Lawmakers, comedians, and analysts from both parties appeared to agree that Lemon’s comments were unacceptable, with some even proposing that he be fired.
Lemon immediately apologized for his words, but he made no mention of Haley.
His CNN bosses granted him a “day off” or a “cool off” on Monday for President’s Day. After “formal training,” he returned to work on Wednesday, according to an email sent to employees by CNN CEO Chris Licht. Licht criticized Lemon in an editorial call on Friday, and said Lemon’s remarks were “upsetting, unacceptable and unfair” and a “huge distraction.”
Don Lemon joined CNN in 2006 and was the sole presenter of Don Lemon Tonight weeknights from 2014 to 2022. After major changes at the network when Chris Licht took over in May 2022, Lemon became a co-host of CNN This Morning with Caitlin Collins and Poppy Harlow.
