CNN anchor Don Lemon said Tuesday that he “lost a lot of liberal friends” after predicting former President Donald Trump’s victory during the 2016 presidential election.
Lemon compared himself to HBO comedian Bill Maher publicly predicting that Trump would not willfully depart the White House following the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
“It’s gonna be shocking to some people on a different level, I don’t know if you remember this Jake [Tapper], I’m sure you do, that I predicted that Donald Trump will probably win this election in 2016,” Lemon said. “Look, I lost a lot of liberal friends, I actually got kicked out of parties in Brooklyn. I said ‘have you guys seen the newspapers? He’s on every section, he’s on the business section, he’s on the political section, he’s on real estate section, he’s on the front pages.'”
“It was just because he knew how to manipulate and use the media, so it’s interesting see Bill Maher say ‘hey, listen, this guy is not going to leave the White House.’ I think the evidence was there but people just kind of ignored what’s in front of their faces, Jake, do you think I’m wrong about that?” he added.
Tapper agreed with Lemon, and referenced a Saturday Night Live skit featuring comedian Dave Chappelle and musician Chris Rock at a party full of white liberals watching the election results come in and they were the only ones not surprised by Trump’s victory. (RELATED: ‘What Are You Talking…?’: CNN Anchor Jumps In After Don Lemon Suggests Women Have A ‘Prime’ Age)
Tapper interviewed Maher in a pre-taped conversation set to air at 9 p.m. Tuesday. He told “CNN This Morning” after the interview that he addressed the comedian’s prediction about Trump.
“He [Maher] said, have you been watching Donald Trump? Like it was – he is a guy who doesn’t acknowledge ever losing, never concedes defeat, he never concedes mistake. It was eminently predictable, he didn’t think it was difficult to see that coming at all,” Tapper said.