Longtime CNN host Don Lemon is out at the cable news network a little over two months after apologizing to viewers for on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, CNN announced Monday맥스카지노�CNN and Don have parted ways,맥스카지노� CNN chair and CEO Chris Licht said in a memo to staff that was also posted on the network's communications Twitter account. 맥스카지노�Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.맥스카지노�CNN did not provide a public explanation for Lemon's departure. But on the 맥스카지노�CNN This Morning맥스카지노� co-host's own Twitter account, Lemon contended the news came as a surprise to him and characterized it as a firing. He had appeared on his show that morning.맥스카지노�I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned,맥스카지노� he wrote in a statement posted shortly after 12 p.m. Eastern. 맥스카지노�After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.맥스카지노�Around 45 minutes later, CNN issued a rebuttal on its PR account: 맥스카지노�Don Lemon맥스카지노�s statement about this morning맥스카지노�s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.맥스카지노�Lemon's ouster came the same day that Fox News announced it was abruptly parting ways with its most popular host, conservative personality Tucker Carlson.In mid-February, Lemon caused an uproar when, during a discussion on 맥스카지노�CNN This Morning맥스카지노� with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins about the ages of politicians, he said that the 51-year-old Haley was not 맥스카지노�in her prime.맥스카지노� A woman, he said, was considered in her prime 맥스카지노�in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.맥스카지노�Harlow challenged Lemon, trying to clarify what he was referencing: 맥스카지노�I think we need to qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking about prime for being president?맥스카지노�맥스카지노�Don맥스카지노�t shoot the messenger, I맥스카지노�m just saying what the facts are,맥스카지노� Lemon responded. He brought up the subject again an hour later, and was rebutted by commentator Audie Cornish.Lemon issued a statement the same day saying he regretted his 맥스카지노�inartful and irrelevant맥스카지노� comments. He was subsequently absent from the show for three days, returning the following week with a tweeted apology but no mention of the episode on air.Licht told staffers in a memo at the time that Lemon would undergo 맥스카지노�formal training,맥스카지노� but did not specify what that would entail. Licht added that it was important to him that the network 맥스카지노�balances accountability with 맥스카지노� fostering a culture in which people can own, learn and grow from their mistakes.맥스카지노�Lemon used to host the prime-time 맥스카지노�Don Lemon Tonight맥스카지노� but moved to the mornings when the network launched 맥스카지노�CNN This Morning맥스카지노� last November, just before the U.S. midterm elections, as one of the first major programming moves under Licht. But the show hasn't had the intended ratings effect, and CNN leadership urged patience last month amid downturn in viewership across the board.Haley, who had criticized Lemon's statements as sexist and used the incident to fundraise in February, took to Twitter on Monday to call Lemon맥스카지노�s ouster 맥스카지노�a great day for women everywhere,맥스카지노� linking to the beverage sleeves emblazoned with 맥스카지노�Past my prime? Hold my beer.맥스카지노�___Associated Press Writer Meg Kinnard contributed reporting from Columbia, South Carolina.