(NewsNation) — Former CNN host Don Lemon voiced support for Vice President Kamala Harris in a NewsNation interview, describing her as “on the side of democracy” in contrast to former President Donald Trump.
“I support democracy. Kamala Harris is on the side of democracy,” Lemon said Wednesday on NewsNation’s “Dan Abrams Live.” “The only two people in this race who have a chance of winning are Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. And so I am on the side of democracy.”
Lemon came to promote his new book, “I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America.”
The former anchor said he is an independent and not necessarily a fan of Harris or her policies, but that he supports the truth. Lemon said Trump’s actions show he’s a threat to democracy, citing his attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
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Media criticism and political bias
Lemon defended his own comments that Trump should “stop threatening democracy,” arguing they were taken out of context by right-leaning media.
Lemon’s comments came after Trump pinned the blame on Democrats’ rhetoric for the apparent assassination attempt against him Sunday, which was foiled when the Secret Service spotted the would-be gunman hiding in bushes on Trump’s golf course.
The former CNN anchor rejected accusations of left-wing bias at the network during his tenure, stating, “I don’t think that we were left-leaning. I think that we were pointing out the truth.”
He claimed that when he was at CNN, many Republicans would say one thing in private (in the green room or during pre-interviews) and then say something different on air, toeing the line for Trump.
Lemon used Kellyanne Conway as an example of this behavior, saying: “Kellyanne Conway, she was the super PAC holder for Ted Cruz, and I remember the day it changed. I was looking at blue cards about to go on with a panel full of people. And I looked at the card, and I said, ‘Hey, this is wrong. We need to change Kellyanne Conway because it says that she is an adviser to the Donald Trump campaign.’ And she looked down the line and she goes, ‘That’s true.'”
Lemon praised the journalists at CNN, stating they are the best in the business.
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Post CNN and mental health
Lemon discussed his departure from CNN and subsequent struggles with depression. CNN fired him in April 2023, concluding a 17-year career with the company.
He revealed starting antidepressant medication, saying, “The moment I went on antidepressants, my old self came back.”
The host expressed satisfaction with his current projects, including a show on streaming platforms, saying he would not go back to CNN.
“I’m very happy with the Don Lemon show on YouTube … I never say never, but I do not believe that it’s in the cards for me to go back to CNN,” Lemon said.
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‘I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America’
Lemon promoted his new book, “I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America,” describing it as a personal exploration of faith and politics that evolved after his exit from CNN.
“It became a different book. I really had to dig deep. I talk about what happened after I left. I talk about depression and all kinds of things in this book,” Lemon said.
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Tyre Nichols case
When asked about the ongoing trial of former Memphis police officers charged in Tyre Nichols’ death, Lemon suggested the relative lack of national media attention might be due to the current political cycle rather than racial factors.
“I think it’s because we’re in the middle of a very consequential election,” Lemon said, adding that the fast-paced news cycle contributes to reduced coverage of such cases.
NewsNation partner The Hill contributed to this report.
