Don Lemon gave his first sit-down interview with ABC 24 while in Memphis, Tennessee before giving a speech to the Memphis chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to give his thoughts about his recent firing from CNN and what he plans on doing next.
"I have a responsibility, not only as a journalist but as an American, to tell the truth and to abide by the promises of the Constitution. Because the Constitution says 'a more perfect Union,' not a perfect Union. I'm not a perfect person, no one is," Lemon said. "In order to fulfill the promise of the Constitution, we have to stand up for what is right. We have to stand up for the truth."
“I don’t believe in platforming liars, and bigots, and insurrectionists, and election deniers, and putting them on the same footing as people who are telling the truth, people who are fighting for what’s right, people who are abiding by the Constitution. I think that would be a dereliction of journalistic duty doing those sorts of things," Lemon continued. "That is what has gotten me to this point, and that is what is going to carry me forward.”
Lemon was fired by then-CNN CEO Chris Licht for his numerous missteps during his short time on the network's new morning program, which caused major friction between him and his co-hosts. Lemon's ratings when he had his primetime show had taken a downturn, causing Licht to move Lemon in order to shake things ups in the hopes ratings would improve.
When Lemon announced he had been fired, he said it was unexpected but CNN's public relations team then put out a statement saying that was not true and it was Lemon who had walked away from negotiations.
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