Don Lemon wasn’t on the set of CNN This Morning on Friday, just 24 hours after he put his foot in his mouth when he said newly declared Republican candidate for the US presidency, Nikki Haley, wasn’t in her prime..Lemon's comments came as the hosts of the program discussed President Biden's age ahead of the 2024 presidential election, as well as Haley, who called Wednesday for a rule requiring politicians over 75 to take "mental competency tests" in an effort to evaluate their ability to serve in office, reports The New York Post.."In the America I see, the permanent politician will finally retire," Haley said as she formally announced her run for president from Charleston, SC. "We’ll have term limits for congress and mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years old.".“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable,” the 56-year-old Lemon said Thursday..“I think it’s the wrong road to go down. She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime.”.His co-hosts, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, looked surprised as Lemon continued, “A woman is considered to be in their prime in [their] 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”.Harlow called out Lemon, saying, “What are you talking about, wait … prime for what?”."It depends, just like 'prime,' if you look it up. If you Google it, when is a woman in her prime, it'll say 20s, 30s and 40s," said Lemon. "I’m not saying I agree with that. I think she has to be careful about saying that, you know, politicians are in their prime.". Post frontPost front .Harlow then asked if he was talking about "prime for childbearing" or "prime for being president.".Lemon doubled down.."I’m just saying what the facts are. Google it. Everybody at home, when is a woman in her prime, it says 20s, 30s and 40s,” he said..“I’m just saying Nikki Haley should be careful about saying that politicians are not in their prime and they need to be in their prime when they serve. Because she wouldn’t be in her prime according to, you know, Google.”.Lemon tried to save himself by putting his other foot in his mouth..“That’s not according to me,” said Lemon. “It’s like, prime. If you look it up. If you Google when is a woman in her prime, it’ll say 20s, 30s and 40s.”.Harlow walked off the set, taking what The Post says was a “well-timed” bathroom break and was followed into the restroom by co-host Collins..They both eventually returned to the set to finish the program..Haley responded to Lemon’s comment, tweeting, "Liberals can't stand the idea of having competency tests for older politicians to make sure they can do the job. BTW it's always the liberals who are the most sexist.".The backlash to Lemon’s comments was swift, forcing him to issue a weak apology via Twitter..“The reference I made to a woman’s ‘prime’ this morning was in artful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it,” Lemon tweeted. “A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”.The fact Lemon didn’t mention Haley by name or use the word ‘sorry’ was noticed immediately, reports The Post..“This isn’t an apology. And how about directing this to the woman you insulted?” Fox News reporter Kassy Dillon responded..“A simple heart-felt ‘I’m terribly sorry’ would do profoundly more than an artful-dodge cya Tweet,” author David Zailer concurred..Friday morning Collins was at the CNN news desk with Audie Cornish, a former National Public Radio journalist, while Harlow was on location in Salt Lake City where she is covering NBA All-Star Weekend festivities..“Don has the day off,” Collins said at the top of the broadcast, failing to elaborate on Lemon’s absence, much less mentioning Thursday’s disastrous blowup, as she introduced Cornish, says The Post..TMZ reports Lemon called into a CNN staff meeting Friday morning to apologize for his comments..Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, “Don jumped on for only 90 seconds to address what he said about Nikki Haley and, for that matter, all women.”.He said he didn't mean what he said, adding he's going to continue to fight discrimination against women. He essentially said some of his best friends are women, citing his relationships with Dana Bash, Erin Burnett, Amy Entelis, and his mom and sister..Former President Donald Trump mocked Lemon for his morning show’s sinking ratings, calling him “The Dumbest Man on Television” in a Truth Social post on Thursday..CNN This Morning is the network’s lowest-rated morning show in almost a decade, according to The Wrap.
