Don Lemon floats White House bid, says he’d 'run this country lot better' than Trump

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Former CNN anchor Don Lemon is flirting with the idea of a presidential run, and he’s not exactly shy about how he thinks he’d stack up against President Donald Trump.

Appearing on Pod Save America Sunday, Lemon admitted the thought has crossed his mind even if he knows it might sound like a headline waiting to happen.

Don Lemon thinks he 'could be President'

"Do I ever think about it? Yes," Lemon said. "Could it happen? Yeah, it could happen if the opportunity presented itself, the right opportunity presented itself. Look, if I wanted to, I know people are going to think I'm crazy. This is going to be the headline, and people are going to laugh about it. I think I could be President of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump."

Still, Lemon made clear he’s not packing his bags for the campaign trail anytime soon. He said he has no current interest in running, noting the personal toll politics can take and arguing the system isn’t exactly level.

He claimed that White male candidates often “get away with” far more than women or minorities. Also, a serious bid would likely require him to ditch his apparently independent status and align with Democrats.

But he wasn’t about to shut the door entirely.

"Am I at that point now? No. And I know people are going to say Don Lemon is crazy. But yeah, that's…look, why can't I think about running for office? Why can't I think about being President of the United States when look at what we have?" Lemon said.

Obama comparison and a higher bar

Lemon also reached for a familiar example in Barack Obama as proof that unconventional candidates can break through.

"Did anybody think Barack Obama, as he says, this guy with a funny name is from a mixed background, did anybody ever think that he would become president, that he had that aspiration? I don't have an aspiration to become president, but I do think that I could run this country a lot better than Donald Trump," he insisted.

In a follow-up comment to Fox News, Lemon doubled down but with a caveat.

"As a child, my parents taught me I could be and do anything I wanted, and I believed them. As a person of faith, I’d have to first consult with my creator about that. If she (my creator) gives me a sign, and so do the people, then it’s game on. Somebody has to fix all of the s--- Donald Trump f---ed up," Lemon said.

Beyond politics, Lemon suggested he could also step in and overhaul a struggling media operation.

"I've been in the game for so long, and I'm not interested in being, you know, the anchor out front. I could come in and fix the bulk of their problems and lickety-split in no time flat," Lemon said.

From newsroom to courtroom

Lemon drew national attention in January after livestreaming a protest at St. Paul’s Cities Church, where agitators stormed the building amid suspicions its pastor had worked with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Lemon was later charged with conspiracy to deprive religious freedom rights and violating the FACE Act tied to the incident. He was formally arraigned last month and has pleaded not guilty.