CNN’s Don Lemon and Sunny Hostin Battle over Obama’s Usage of the N-Word

HOSTIN: “I don't think so. I will tell you that I was surprised. I was shocked. I was disappointed. I think language matters, especially when that language is coming from the leader of the free world, the president of the United States, especially as an African-American man. I think what it does, quite frankly, Wolf, is give people the feeling that they, too, can use it. We hear that argument being made oftentimes. ‘Well, rappers use it, so I can use it too.’ And I think that the president was sort of ill-advised in thinking that he was either going to be provocative or be instructive and nuanced. Because we all know he's a wordsmith. We know that he chooses his words carefully. So I don't think this was an accidental use of the term. But it now opens up the field for others using it. And in fact, on our very network, Wolf, you know that this term was not used. It wasn't something that journalists could use. And it wasn't something that we aired on our network. But now, because the president said it, I have heard that word, a very hurtful word –“

LEMON: “Sunny, that's not right.”

HOSTIN: “-- over and over and over again.” 

LEMON: “That's not right.”

HOSTIN: “Just today. It is right, it is right.” 

LEMON: “No, I disagree with you. We have been able to use that word on this network for the entire nine years that I've been here.”