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Former CNN anchor Don Lemon is speaking out two months after being ousted from the anchor chair.
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Lemon, who worked at CNN for 17 years, told ABC24 Memphis he wasn’t “rushed” to land a new gig.
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“I know people say, ‘I miss you on TV. What’s your next move?’ I’m figuring it out,” he said.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon in a recent interview opened up about his commitment to the pursuit of truth two months after he was ousted from the network that employed him for 17 years.
“I have a responsibility — not just as a journalist but as an American — to tell the truth and to live up to the promises of the Constitution,” he told ABC24 Memphis. “Because the Constitution says a more perfect union, not a perfect union. I’m not a perfect person. Nobody is.”
“In order to keep the promise of the Constitution, we must stand for what is right. We must stand for the truth,” he continued.
Lemon then explained his journalistic philosophy, based on his decades of experience in the field.
“I don’t believe in platforming liars and fanatics, insurgents and election deniers and putting them on the same footing as people who tell the truth; people who stand up for what is right, people who respect the Constitution,” he said. . “I think it would be a breach of journalistic duty to do this stuff.”
When asked what his future plans might entail, Lemon said he was in no rush to pursue a new opportunity.
“I’m not going to force anything,” he told the Memphis, Tennessee-area ABC affiliate. I’m not going to let other people’s timelines influence me. I know people say, “I miss you on TV.” What is your next move?’ I’m figuring that out.”
“I don’t need to be in a hurry,” he continued. “I think people rush and end up making bad decisions. I’m not rushing into anything.”
Lemon was once one of the network’s most visible faces, from his early days as an anchor and correspondent to hosting his prime-time show “Don Lemon Tonight” before joining the show “CNN This Morning” at the end of last year.
But there was reportedly some tension on the morning schedule for a while, which came to a head with Lemon’s remark in February that 2024 Republican presidential candidate and former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina n was more “at her peak” as a woman in her 50s. Lemon later apologized for his comments, calling them “inartistic and out of place” and praising the women in his life.
Chris Licht, then CNN’s general manager, berated Lemon in a network call shortly after his remarks about Haley, but the network backed Lemon after a Variety article published in April alleged a series of misogynistic behavior from the seasoned journalist. In a statement, CNN criticized the report.
“Variety’s story provides no actual evidence and instead relies on anonymous sources and unsubstantiated claims from 10-15 years ago. CNN is unable to corroborate the alleged accounts,” the network said at the time.
However, when Lemon was ousted later that month, he said he was “stunned” by the decision and called CNN for what he said was their lack of “decency” in personally informing him of the decision.
CNN later said they gave Lemon a chance to speak with management, but added that the reporter chose to tweet about the situation instead.
After a rocky 13-month tenure as head of CNN, Licht was also fired from his post earlier this month.
Read the original article on Business Insider