CNN anchor Don Lemon is "opening a can of worms" by saying Thursday that a woman's prime is in her 20s, 30s or "maybe her 40s," American Spectator columnist Jeffrey Lord said.
"Having worked at CNN, I know both Don and Poppy [Harlow], and the first thought that went through my head was, Don, what are you saying? I can only imagine the look on Poppy's face, and then the camera zoomed in and there it was," Lord said Friday on Newsmax's "National Report."
Lemon's comment was in reference to 51-year-old presidential candidate Nikki Haley's claim that people over the age of 75 wanting to serve in the White House should have to prove mental competence.
"Nikki Haley isn't in her prime, sorry," Lemon, 56, said on air. "A woman is said to be in her prime in her 20s, 30s and maybe 40s."
Co-host Harlow, 40, asked, "Wait … prime for what?"
"If you Google 'when is a woman in her prime,' it'll say 20s, 30s and 40s," Lemon continued. "I'm not saying I agree with that."
Harlow pushed for an explanation.
"Are you talking about prime for child-bearing or are you talking about prime for being president?" Harlow said.
"Don't shoot the messenger," Lemon said. "I'm just saying what the facts are."
Lord said being in your prime "applies to anybody of either sex, of any age. I worked for Ronald Reagan, who was in his 70s when he was president of the United States, and he's heralded these days as one of the greatest in American history. Decidedly, it is safe to say Ronald Reagan was in his prime when he was in his 70s."