Nikki Haley hits back on 'prime' comment, touts new leadership

GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley took aim at CNN’s Don Lemon on Friday, after the host had said on air that she was “not in her prime,” and was temporarily pulled off the air.

Lemon was commenting on Haley’s call, upon launching her presidential bid last month, for mental competency tests for those running for public office who are older than 75.

“Now Don Lemon didn’t seem to like that. He claimed I’m not in my prime. I responded: hold my beer,” Haley said. “I’m 51. That’s younger than Don Lemon.”

Haley made her remarks at Conservative Political Action Conference, casting Lemon as part of a liberal media that in her view didn’t want to accept that someone on the right was young, a minority and the daughter of immigrants.

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Last month, on “CNN This Morning,” Lemon discussed Haley’s call for competency tests and said Haley, at 51, was not “in her prime.” He said a woman was considered to be in her prime “in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.” Lemon, who apologized for the remarks, was temporarily off the air and underwent training.

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Haley was the highest-profile speaker yet at CPAC on its second day Friday.

“If you’re tired of losing, put your trust in a new generation,” Haley said.