Good Riddance, Don Lemon

By Jackson Kincaid

In Brief:

In a very unceremonious turn of events, CNN has fired Don Lemon. And he claims he’s shocked and has no idea why.

The Background: 

CNN Chairmen, Chris Litch made the simple announcement, "CNN and Don have parted ways. Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors."

Don Lemon claims he was shocked by his dismissal and has no idea why he was fired. However, reports state it was in part due to a culmination of many factors, the latest being his on-air spat with Vivek Ramaswamy, a hopeful GOP candidate, in which he declared that Ramaswamy teaching him history “insulted” him as a black man. However, Ramaswamy is also a man of color. But, the history he was being told apparently did not fit with Lemon’s agenda. 

Ramaswamy, when asked for comment on Lemon’s termination, stated, "I think that any network that wants to foster open debate should embrace that principle by not restricting what someone can say or saying what someone can say is restricted based on their skin color. And I think they made the right decision here."

Fox News reported that Ramaswamy, who had no prior interaction with Lemon before the "CNN This Morning" sit-down, told Fox News Digital that there was an "irony" between the fallout from their exchange and the disparaging comments Lemon said about his GOP primary rival Nikki Haley. Lemon previously received backlash after saying Haley was past her "prime" due to her age and gender. According to Lemon, Ramaswamy couldn't speak about post-Civil War history because he wasn't Black. 

Notable Quotes: 

"I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly." – Don Lemon