Pressure appears to be mounting on Gavin Newsom as fresh signs of competition emerge within the Democratic Party, following comments from former CNN host Don Lemon indicating he has considered a run for the White House.
Don Lemon made the comments during an episode of his show earlier this week. Lemon said the possibility of entering politics depends on circumstances.
He pointed to the structure of US elections as a barrier. He said it would likely require him to run as a Democrat if he chose to enter a race.
Lemon also referenced Barack Obama while discussing the idea of unconventional candidates reaching the presidency.
“So do I ever think about it? Yes. Could it happen? Yeah, it could happen. If the opportunity presented itself, the right opportunity presented itself,” Lemon said.
He added that he believes he could do the job. “I think I could be president of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump,” Lemon said.
Lemon noted that he does not have an aspiration to become president but thinks he could run the country better than most people.
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He also said he talked to his husband about the idea the night before the show.
Lemon Discusses Challenges of Running as an Independent
Lemon described himself as an independent. He said there would be a hard time for him to run for anything because of the way the system is set up.
“I know people are going to think I’m crazy, but yeah. And that’s, look, why can’t I think about running for office? Why can’t I think about being president of the United States?” Lemon said.
He explained that he would probably have to become a Democrat to run. Lemon said he is not at that point now. He also spoke about his experience in the news.
He said he could fix problems at a news organization quickly because he has been in the business for a long time and is not interested in being the anchor out front.
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The comments were reported by Roberto Wakerell-Cruz in The Post Millennial. The article noted that Lemon suggested the idea is not out of the question but depends on the right opportunity.
Why this matters
Lemon’s statement shows the barriers that independent candidates face in the US election system.
He made clear that the two-party setup would likely force him to choose a side and run as a Democrat.
The remarks also point to how people from media backgrounds see themselves as able to lead the country or fix large organizations. Lemon used the example of Barack Obama to argue that unexpected candidates can succeed.
