Nikki Haley Slaps Down ‘Sexist Middle-Aged CNN Anchor’ Don Lemon After He Says Women in Their 50s Are Past Their Prime

Nikki Haley slammed CNN’s Don Lemon as a sexist, middle-aged anchor after the host claimed women in their 40s and 50s are past their prime.

Lemon, who apparently now fancies himself an authority on women, made the comments during a Thursday broadcast of CNN This Morning.

He was responding to Haley’s call for “mental competency tests” for politicians over the age of 75.

“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable. I think it’s the wrong road to go down,” Lemon elucidated. “She says people, you know, politicians are something if not in their prime.”

He then dropped this pearl of wisdom: “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry. A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”

Co-host Poppy Harlow pressed Lemon on whether or not his definition applied to a woman’s age being “prime for child bearing” or “prime for being president.”

Lemon argued that his definition of prime years was a “fact” because he looked it up on Google. And that right there, is the guy CNN believes is the most qualified male co-host for their morning program.

Don Lemon: “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, when a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s, and 30s, and maybe 40s…”

Poppy Harlow: “Are you talking about prime for like child bearing?”

“Don’t shoot the messenger! I’m just saying what the facts are! Google it!” pic.twitter.com/n1HmtkWTpl

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 16, 2023

Critics Fire Back at the CNN Host

Reports surfaced indicating colleagues at CNN were ticked off over Don Lemon’s idiotic comments about Nikki Haley.

“People are definitely upset about it,” one insider told Fox News Digital while another described it as “a stupid thing to say.”

The New York Post reported that Harlow actually walked off the set following the exchange, describing it as “a ‘well-timed’ bathroom break.”

Today’s cover: Poppy Harlow leaves CNN set after tense exchange with Don Lemon https://t.co/hpRJ2NOZK1 pic.twitter.com/GE2QfSarQO

— New York Post (@nypost) February 17, 2023

Other women clearly still in their prime, if not simply beginning their prime, took aim at Lemon.

Author Janice Dean suggested Haley use the clip of Lemon’s sexist remarks as a campaign ad and scoffed, “And [CNN] wonders why they are hemorrhaging viewers.”

Just heard @donlemon said @NikkiHaley is “past her prime”
as a woman. And then when challenged he said: “just google it!”

And @@CNN wonders why they are hemorrhaging viewers.

— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) February 16, 2023

Podcast host Megyn Kelly accused Lemon of having engaged in “a pattern” of making “sexist” comments to his female colleagues.

“I don’t know how much longer CNN can allow this to go on,” she said.

“I’m so irritated by this guy, and, honestly, his misogyny — and I don’t use that word about a lot of people — but there’s a pattern with him,” claimed Kelly. “The absurdity of suggesting that a woman is past her prime when she is 51 years old, like Nikki Haley.”

Don Lemon Apologizes, But Doesn’t Mention Nikki Haley

Whatever you may think about Nikki Haley the politician, she is most certainly not past her prime. Nor is any woman her age or even well beyond.

Lemon issued a non-apology apology after criticism mounted over his comments. It’s as cowardly as you would expect it to be.

The CNN host described his comments as “inartful and irrelevant” which honestly should be the tagline of the entire network at this point.

“A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally,” Lemon stated. “I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”

The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.

— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 16, 2023

Lemon, of course, didn’t mention Haley – the woman in her prime that he insulted – by name, nor did he tag her in the apology tweet.

But that didn’t deter the Republican presidential candidate from absolutely smoking him in response.

“To be clear, I am NOT calling for competency tests for Sexist middle-aged CNN anchors,” she fired back, “only for people who make our laws and are 75+.”

To be clear, I am NOT calling for competency tests for Sexist middle-aged CNN anchors; only for people who make our laws and are 75+. https://t.co/wvUNCcNdVt

— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 16, 2023

Oof. Lemon just got beat down by a woman in her prime. Who had that on their bingo card?

The post Nikki Haley Slaps Down ‘Sexist Middle-Aged CNN Anchor’ Don Lemon After He Says Women in Their 50s Are Past Their Prime appeared first on The Political Insider.

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Nikki Haley slammed CNN’s Don Lemon as a sexist, middle-aged anchor after the host claimed women in their 40s and 50s are past their prime. Lemon, who apparently now fancies himself an authority on women, made the comments during a Thursday broadcast of CNN This Morning. He was responding to Haley’s call for “mental competency tests”
The post Nikki Haley Slaps Down ‘Sexist Middle-Aged CNN Anchor’ Don Lemon After He Says Women in Their 50s Are Past Their Prime appeared first on The Political Insider.