At the end of Friday's CNN Tonight, during a panel discussion of the substantial costs of the Secret Service protecting President Donald Trump and his family, host Don Lemon lost his temper, ranted about the definition of "fake news," and ended up apparently ending the show early as he cut off conservative guest Paris Dennard because the CNN commentator refused to back down from deriding the segment as "fake news."
After liberal commentators Maria Cardona and Karine Jean-Pierre, and conservative commentator Andre Bauer had had their say, Lemon went to Dennard for the final word. Dennard began: "I think this is fake news. This is -- this is not a news story. Don-"
The CNN host bristled as he jumped back in: "Tell me what about it is fake, Paris. Are we going down this road again?"
The right-leaning commentator continued: "Let me just tell you why. The President is not breaking any laws, and he's not doing anything. It's not his fault-"
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Instead of letting his guest finish having his say, Lemon jumped in again: "Okay, Paris, hold on, let me ask you this-"
After Dennard complained that he wanted to finish, Lemon promised to let him finish as he continued: "I'm going to let you finish. Do you actually know what the definition of 'fake news' is?"
The conservative CNN commentator responded: "What we're doing right now."
At this point, Lemon launched into a minute-long rant about the definition of "fake news" and why he was discussing the Secret Service story before concluding his lecture: "Please stop it with that stupid talking point that it's a fake news story. If you don't want to participate in the news stories on this network, then don't come on and participate. But don't call them fake because you don't agree with them. Go on."
Finally allowed to speak again, Dennard calmly began his response: "Don, this is a fake news story, in my opinion, because the underlying assumption is that-"
At this point, without bothering to hear his explanation, Lemon cut in and ended the segment shortly past 11:56 p.m. ET, displaying a disapproving facial expression as the show faded away into a commercial break: "Okay, Paris, thank you very much, everyone. Thanks, everyone. Thanks for watching. Have a great weekend. Good night, all."
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, 17, CNN Tonight:
11:54 p.m. ET
DON LEMON: I want to bring in Paris now. Sorry, I hate to cut you guys short, but I want to get it all in before we have to go. Paris, what's your -- what do you think?PARIS DENNARD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think this is fake news. This is -- this is not a news story. Don-
LEMON: Tell me what about it is fake, Paris. Are we going down this road again?
DENNARD: Yeah, we are.
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, FORMER OBAMA WHITE HOUSE STAFFER: Come on, Paris.
DENNARD: I didn't interrupt any of you all. Let me just tell you why. The President is not breaking any laws, and he's not doing anything. It's not his fault-
LEMON: Okay, Paris, hold on, let me ask you this-
DENNARD: No, no, no, let me finish.
LEMON: I'm going to let you finish. Do you actually know what the definition of "fake news" is?
DENNARD: What we're doing right now.
LEMON: No, then, okay, then you are a part of the fake news because you're on the network and you are a part of it. Fake news is when you -- hang on, let me explain to people out there watching what fake news is. Fake news is when you put out a story to intentionally deceive someone and you know that it is wrong. I don't know of anyone who has put out a story in the mainstream media that I can think of right now to intentionally deceive anyone. Now, people get things wrong. Sources sometimes come up empty. But no one that I know has put out anything to intentionally deceive someone.
This story that we're doing right now is not to intentionally deceive anyone. We are simply talking about the cost to keep a President safe -- the Secret Service costs -- and what are the pros and the cons and, as Andre (Bauer) said, and if there are ways that we can maybe be able to work on that to make it fiscally better for the American people. There is nothing fake about that. Please stop it with that stupid talking point that it's a fake news story. If you don't want to participate in the news stories on this network, then don't come on and participate. But don't call them fake because you don't agree with them. Go on.
DENNARD: Don, this is a fake news story, in my opinion, because the underlying assumption is that-
LEMON: Okay, Paris, thank you very much, everyone. Thanks, everyone. Thanks for watching. Have a great weekend. Good night, all.
