Twitter is having a field day after CNN’s Don Lemon tried to argue Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley should be careful when discussing whether politicians are in their prime.
During a campaign event on Wednesday, Haley proposed a mandatory mental competency test for politicians over 75.
But Lemon suggested that according to Google, Haley, 51, is not in her prime during a segment of “CNN This Morning.”
“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable. I think it’s the wrong road to go down,” he began. “She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, when a woman is considered to be in her prime [is] in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s …”
Co-host Poppy Harlow interjected, “What are you talking about?”
“That’s not according to me,” Lemon responded.
Harlow then asked, “Prime for what?”
“It depends. It’s just like prime. If you look it up. If you Google when is a woman in her prime, it’ll say 20s, 30s, and 40s,” Lemon said.
Watch the video below:
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…"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 16, 2023
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
Harlow joked, “Forties! Oh my god, I have another decade.”
She asked her co-host if he was talking about childbearing or “prime for being president.”
“Don’t shoot the messenger. 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 Google or whatever it is.”
Journalist Charles Thompson tweeted, “‘This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable.’ Probably should have stopped right there, [Don Lemon], but hey, everyone needs an editor.”
"This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable."
— Charles Thompson (@ChasThompson1) February 16, 2023
Probably should have stopped right there, @donlemon, but hey, everyone needs an editor. https://t.co/SOv2p4XDZC
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wrote, “Leftist misogyny: Imagine, the year is 2015, and Don Lemon is saying the exact same thing about Hillary Clinton …”
Leftist misogyny:
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 16, 2023
Imagine, the year is 2015, and Don Lemon is saying the exact same thing about Hillary Clinton…. https://t.co/UBAB4u5vsR
Reuters’ national security correspondent Idrees Ali tweeted, “Man well past his prime talks about a woman’s prime age.”
Man well past his prime talks about a woman's prime age. https://t.co/9tyS4H9vzb
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) February 16, 2023
Newsmax’s Alex Salvi pointed out, “By this logic, there’s a ≈5 year window for a woman to be a competent U.S. president.”
By this logic, there’s a ≈5 year window for a woman to be a competent U.S. president. https://t.co/PucerkshaC
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) February 16, 2023
“And now we go live to the woman expert *squints* Don Lemon,” joked Siraj Hashmi.
and now we go live to the woman expert *squints* Don Lemon https://t.co/HEtUNhXq7n
— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) February 16, 2023
Travis Tritten, the deputy managing editor of Military.com, wrote, “‘Google my sexist stereotypes!'”
'Google my sexist stereotypes!' https://t.co/K62f8XrMSp
— Travis J. Tritten (@Travis_Tritten) February 16, 2023
Politico’s Sam Stein suggested, “Folks, do NOT google when is a woman in her prime.”