‘Let’s Hope We Don’t Get To That Point!’ Don Lemon Recoils When MJ Lee Brings Up Line of Succession and Notes Biden’s Age

CNN anchor Don Lemon recoiled when CNN White House Correspondent M.J. Lee brought up the presidential line of succession and noted President Joe Biden’s age during a discussion of the roiling election for speaker of the House.

Outgoing House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s tumultuous bid to become speaker amid a revolt from House conservatives has dominated the news this week and has thus far resulted in six votes in which McCarthy failed to secure a win.

On Thursday morning’s edition of CNN This Morning, Lee joined Lemon and co-host Poppy Harlow remotely to report from the White House lawn, and brought up the fact that the absence of a House speaker shifts the line of succession.

Lee called the development “stunning particularly if you think about the fact that we have a president who is 80 years old, the oldest person to serve as president,” which got a reaction from Lemon:

HARLOW: Well, there you go, that, M.J., with the dysfunction on the House side. So, the president will have this cabinet meeting today, no speaker, that really throws off the line of succession, right?

LEE: That’s right. So much of what we have been talking about is the political drama. But I think we shouldn’t forget just the real ramifications for just the functioning of the U.S. government. I know we’ve talked about the fact that when there’s not a House speaker, you can’t swear in members, some committee folks will not even get paid. And then there is the presidential line of succession. The first person in line, as everybody knows is the vice president, and then the second person is the house speaker. But because there is no House speaker right now, the second person in line to the presidency is Senator Patty Murray, who is the Senate president pro tempore. So, this is just all stunning particularly if you think about the fact that we have a president who is 80 years old, the oldest person to serve as president.

LEMON: Let’s hope we don’t get to that point!

HARLOW: No. But our kids are going to be reading about this, M.J., keep thinking like in their history books. M.J., thanks very much.

LEMON: It’s crazy. We’ll be all right, though.

Watch above via CNN This Morning.

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