Don Lemon Apologizes for Comments on Women’s “Prime” During Segment on Nikki Haley’s Presidential Campaign Launch

CNN anchor Don Lemon has apologized for his comments about women’s “prime” during a segment about 51-year-old Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley.

On Thursday, Lemon, alongside his “CNN This Morning” co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, were discussing Haley’s calls for “mandatory mental competency tests” for politicians over the age of 75. During the launch of her presidential campaign on Wednesday, Haley made one not-so-subtle dig at both Trump, who is 76 and President Biden who is 80.

Lemon felt that Haley, 51, should be careful about making candidates’ ages a campaign issue. He said, “And 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. Everybody at home, when is a woman in her prime?”

Following the segment, Lemon issued an apology on Twitter, saying, “I want to apologize for my comments earlier today about Nikki Haley. It was not my intention to suggest that she, or any woman, is in her prime based on her age. I was making a point about political candidates and their ability to serve.”

Haley responded to Lemon’s apology, saying, “It’s ok Don. I forgive you. We all make mistakes.”

Lemon’s comments have sparked a larger conversation about ageism and sexism in politics. Many have argued that women are often judged more harshly than men when it comes to their age, and that this double standard should not be tolerated.

The incident has also highlighted the importance of being mindful of the language we use when discussing female politicians, and the need for more respect and understanding in the political arena.