Don Lemon claims CNN was never liberal, insists new-look network will ‘hold people to account’

CNN anchor Don Lemon boldly asserted the community has by no means had a liberal stance — regardless of an ongoing push from prime boss Chris Licht for extra centrist protection.

The left-leaning Lemon, greatest identified for his vocal criticism of distinguished Republicans, made the doubtful declare throughout an look on “The Late Present with Stephen Colbert” on Monday after the comic nudged him to deal with CNN’s current transfer towards nonpartisan protection.

“Phrase on the road is that you just guys aren’t allowed to be liberal anymore. Is that the case?” Colbert requested.

“I don’t assume we ever had been liberal,” Lemon replied.

Lemon’s reply drew a shocked response from Colbert, who replied, “What?”

“Sure, I don’t assume we ever had been,” Lemon insisted.

“Not me saying that, that’s the folks on the market saying that he’s not letting you be liberal anymore,” Colbert mentioned.

Don Lemon shocked Colbert by claiming CNN was by no means liberal.

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Lemon argued that Licht’s directive for CNN is to remake the ratings-challenged community as an open discussion board for debate for either side of the political aisle, relatively than an lively departure from its liberal previous.

“I believe what Chris is saying is that he desires Republicans — smart Republicans,” Lemon mentioned. “He desires us to carry folks to account, however he desires folks to come back on and really feel comfy with approaching and speaking on CNN and showing on CNN.”

“So, if you happen to invite somebody in your home, you wish to make them comfy. But additionally, by the character of what we do, we've got to carry folks to account,” Lemon added. “That doesn’t essentially imply that we’re going liberal or conservative or no matter. It simply implies that we're doing what we do and that’s good journalism.”

“So accountable, not confrontational,” Colbert responded.

Stephen Colbert had pressed Lemon to elucidate whether or not Chris Licht was blocking hosts from being liberal.

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“I believe typically one should be confrontational,” Lemon mentioned.

Underneath the management of disgraced CNN ex-president Jeff Zucker, Lemon and different prime community personalities had been identified for his or her combative on-air stance towards former President Donald Trump and different Republicans.

Since changing Zucker, Licht has pushed CNN to embrace a extra centrist, nonpartisan method to information protection. He additionally ousted Brian Stelter, a left-leaning former CNN anchor and some of the seen faces from the community’s previous regime.

Licht additionally reassigned Lemon from his primetime slot to a brand new function as one in every of three hosts of CNN’s revamped morning present.

In the meantime, Licht has publicly pushed again on claims that his actions are supposed to transfer CNN away from the liberal opinion programming that lengthy outlined its protection.

Chris Licht is main an overhaul at CNN.

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“One of many largest misconceptions about my imaginative and prescient is that I wish to be vanilla, that I wish to be centrist. That's bulls—,” Licht informed the Monetary Occasions earlier this month. “It's important to be compelling. It's important to have edge.”

Licht continued: “In lots of circumstances you're taking a aspect. Generally you simply level out uncomfortable questions. However both means you don’t see it by a lens of left or proper.”