Lemon can give it, but he can’t take it!
Just recently, seasoned CNN anchor Don Lemon – who calls himself a “unicorn” because he is gay and black – came out and said that he isn’t sure how much longer he will be able to handle doing his job, especially with Trump’s impending 2020 victory on the horizon.
The reason?
“Toxicity” caused by President Trump.
We have to ask Lemon: are you sure it’s not because CNN’s rankings have been plummeting, so much so that they keep having to lay off journalists?
To be fair, I guess you could blame Trump for that.
He is, after all, never afraid to point out CNN’s involvement with fake news and journalists like Don Lemon’s hit pieces against him.
Take a look at Lemon’s statement that went viral on Twitter:
President Trump has criticized Don Lemon, calling him "the dumbest man on television" for continuously defaming the president using the CNN network as his platform, all the while claiming to be "unbiased."
For reference, here are some of the tweets Trump posted in the past about Lemon:
As to the reason why Trump has labeled Lemon as the "dumbest man on television," Daily Wire commented:
The reason that he's become a target, he suggested, is that Trump has singled him out and mocked him online. Along with calling him "dumb as a rock" in August 2016, Trump declared Lemon the "dumbest man on television" in December 2017, a line he repeated a few weeks ago.
"Another false story, this time in the Failing [New York Times], that I watch 4-8 hours of television a day — Wrong! Also, I seldom, if ever, watch CNN or MSNBC, both of which I consider Fake News. I never watch Don Lemon, who I once called the 'dumbest man on television!' Bad Reporting," Trump tweeted in 2017.
The comment triggered a quick rebuke by CNN, which complained that the president was "bullying" the beleaguered anchor. "In a world where bullies torment kids on social media to devastating effect on a regular basis with insults and name-calling, it is sad to see our president engaging in the very same behavior himself. Leaders should lead by example," said CNN.
Lemon told the audience that it's been a struggle to keep doing what he's doing in the Trump era, and he's at times wondered "how long I will continue to do this particular job in the way I do it."
"I don’t know if it’s worth this level of toxicity. I’m 10 years older than when he rode down the escalator in July 2015," he said, adding: "It doesn’t mean I don’t have a commitment to journalism, it just means I may want to do it a different way."
Lemon also told the audience that he made the decision not to "punch down at the president."
In January 2018, Lemon, who is presented by CNN as an unbiased news host, declared Trump a "racist."
"This is CNN Tonight, I’m Don Lemon. The president of the United States is racist. A lot of us already knew that," a solemn Lemon said on air. His "evidence" that Trump was racist: he reportedly called some countries "sh**holes" and said we should be accepting more immigrants from countries that aren't a mess, like Norway.
"Why are we having all these people from sh**hole countries come here?" The Washington Post reported Trump as saying. "Those comments are, frankly, disgusting," said Lemon. "They're not shocking, not even really surprising, because this is who Donald Trump is—this is what he thinks."
Fox News has more details on what Lemon said on his show Thursday:
The news – plus barbs from social media trolls and other critics -- may be too much for CNN’s Don Lemon to bear much longer.
The host of “CNN Tonight” told an audience in New York City on Thursday that the current “level of toxicity” in society – which he attributed to the Trump presidency – has him questioning whether he’ll still be on the air when the 2020 presidential election rolls around, according to reports.
“I don’t know if it’s worth this level of toxicity,” the 53-year-old Lemon said about continuing in his current position, the Daily Beast reported.
“I’m 10 years older than when he rode down the escalator in July 2015,” Lemon added, referring to Donald Trump's campaign announcement four years ago.
Lemon made the remarks at the Financial Times’ “Future of News” conference.
The anchor also spoke about the negative, unsolicited feedback he sometimes receives.
The Daily Beast also had the following to say regarding Lemon's comment:
CNN late-night anchor Don Lemon has revealed that the presidency of Donald Trump has proven a threat to his personal safety, and taken a severe toll on his off-camera life.
It has even left him questioning his future on air.
Lemon told the audience at the Financial Times’ “Future of News” conference in New York City on Thursday that he was not sure how long he could keep doing his CNN show while Trump was in the White House.
“I don’t know if it’s worth this level of toxicity,” he said. “I’m 10 years older than when he rode down the escalator in July 2015.”
The Trump era has threatened “my privacy, my safety and security, and the safety and security of my loved ones and my family,” Lemon said, in remarks first reported by The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.
“I’m black and gay on cable television in primetime—a unicorn—and I’m a target of the right, a target of white extremists, neo-Nazis and of the president,” Lemon said.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!