CNN personality Don Lemon found himself in hot water with his fellow cohost Poppy Harlow after he claimed politician Nikki Haley, 51, was no longer in her "prime" as a woman.
The former governor of South Carolina recently stated the need for a younger president and later announced she would officially be campaigning for a bid in the upcoming 2024 election.
"This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable," Lemon commented on Fox on Thursday, February 16. "I think it’s the wrong road to go down."
"She [Haley] says people, you know, politicians are something if not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn't in her prime, sorry," he continued. "A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s."
Harlow cut in to ask exactly what he meant by "prime," but Lemon argued that it was just a general description he found on Google.
"When is a woman in her prime, it'll say 20s, 30s and 40s," he explained. "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."
Harlow questioned him again, attempting to clarify if the definition meant "prime for child bearing" or "prime for being president."
"I’m just saying what the facts are. Google it," Lemon responded. "Everybody at home, when is woman in her prime, it says 20s, 30s and 40s. And I’m just saying should be careful about saying that politicians are not in their prime and they need to be in prime when they serve. Because she wouldn't be in her prime."
This comes following increasing criticism of both 76-year-old Donald Trump and 80-year-old Joe Biden's mental capabilities as the 2024 presidential election looms.
"When you're looking at the future of America, I think it's time for new generational change," Haley said in a January interview with Fox News. "I don't think you need to be 80 years old to go be a leader in D.C. I think we need a young generation to come in, step up, and really start fixing things."
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Fox News reported Lemon's controversial comments.
