Little did we know that as CNN’s new president Chris Licht has been making cuts at the network, the demoted Don Lemon has been forced to pull double duty and work as his own hype man.
But such was the case in a recent interview when he made an audacious claim about former President Donald Trump’s lack of “courage” in relation to his own canceled program.
As Lemon prepares for his new role hosting CNN’s “This Morning,” the once primetime host joined the recently created outlet Semafor to offer his–unique–perspective on how things have progressed at the network since Jeff Zucker’s resignation. In response to the suggestion from former Politico reporter Max Tani that Lemon and Trump “occasionally butt heads,” the anchor had a much different perspective.
“I would be lying to you if I didn’t say that was a factor. I never really butted heads with the last president,” he said before claiming, “He didn’t have the courage to come on and take hard questions from CNN and me and my show.”
Trump comms guy: Sir, Don Lemon wants you to go on his show.
Trump: Isn’t he the lowest-rated host in cable news primetime?
Comms guy: Yep. And he has repeatedly called you and your voters racist and/or stupid.
Trump: Sign me up!
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) October 19, 2022
As laughable as Lemon’s claim was of the president who went out of his way to hold press conferences to confront corporate media’s reporting head-on, the anchor continued his revisionist history by suggesting his new role at CNN was a choice he made and not an alternative to getting fired altogether as Brian Stelter, John Harwood and Jeffrey Toobin had all departed with Licht’s shakeup.
“Look, has it been frustrating over the last couple of years having to deal with politics in the way it’s been dealt with in primetime? Yes. Was I tired of it? In some ways, yeah it’s gotten old. But I also think we were transitioning to a different time,” Lemon said and added, “So I was ready to move on and I think the audience is ready to move on as well. And even if he comes back, I think there’s a different approach that can be taken in primetime and in the morning. The morning gives me more latitude to educate and elevate the conversation.”
It’s barely a show… it’s a grown man often grifting and never breaking the surface on issues taking echo chamber stances of leftist issues. Why would anyone at all go on this show?
— The Southern Marylander (@thesomarylander) October 19, 2022
Who would waste their time appearing with this person; has nothing to do with courage, it would lend support to this ‘TV Personality’ and appear to view him as a news person, which he is not.
— Margaret Harrington (@62jerseygirl) October 19, 2022
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The ratings for this CNN Lemonade stand are so low that he is throwing down an I dare you, double / triple dog dare you to come on my show to DJT for ratings.— Marjorie (@xxPointofView) October 19, 2022
Lemon has endeavored to control the messaging on the changes at CNN for months now and went as far as to tell Comedy Central host Charlamagne Tha God on “Hell Of A Week” that the public perception of what Licht was doing at the network, shifting from leftist opinion to fact-based reporting was wrong.
“Let me just say, I don’t think that’s exactly what Chris is saying. I think there’s a narrative that has been placed in the medium,” Lemon said. “I think what Chris wants to do is to be able to have Republicans and Democrats and whatever your political stance is on CNN so that you can be accountable and that you can answer for it.”
Don Lemon stands by biased punditry, defines CNN’s new direction as having more Republicans on https://t.co/NovJ16a7rE pic.twitter.com/m2nRkT9kez
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) August 10, 2022
He went on to argue what he does at the network is, “tell the truth” and “inform the American electorate and the American public and also the world, because we’re an international news organization. So if I’m not allowed to do that, then I will go on and do it somewhere else.”
The show he doesn’t have anymore ?????
— mike (@mike71984876) October 19, 2022
He likes to go places he’ll be seen. No one sees Don Lemon
— Grammar 5-0 (@Grammar98566533) October 19, 2022
— PotJock (@potjock) October 19, 2022
— Mark Smith (@marksmithgolfer) October 19, 2022
- BlackRock CEO: ‘We’re gonna have higher inflation’ but that will ‘help’ because of ‘wage inflation’ - March 27, 2024
- Romanian mafia targets self-checkouts in US – your debit card could be at risk - March 27, 2024
- Caught on camera: Stowaway busted after allegedly taking photo of Delta passenger’s boarding pass - March 27, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.