'The View' co-hosts defend 'friend' Don Lemon, reject misogyny charges amid CNN firing: 'He loves women'

The ladies of "The View" circled the wagons on behalf of their "friend" Don Lemon, who was abruptly fired from CNN on Monday following months of controversies. 

While his career at CNN appeared to be on a downward spiral, the beginning of the end for Lemon occurred in February following the intense backlash he received for misogynistic comments towards Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley for being "past her prime" at age 51. Notably, "The View" ignored the entire saga as it unfolded at the time. 

"The View" co-host and Lemon's former CNN colleague Sunny Hostin began by saying she was "stunned" by his ousting before quickly acknowledging she was "biased" on the topic because he's been her "friend" for 20 years. 

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"And I will say that I don't believe in my experience with him that he's a misogynist. I think he loves women," Hostin said. "He loves his mother. He loved his sister. He loves me. He loves Joy [Behar]."

"What about me?" co-host Sara Haines quipped before Behar acknowledged Lemon loves her, too, and pointed out that Haines "stayed at his house once."

Hostin went on to admit that Lemon "said some things that were sexist and I think ageist," but stressed he "apologized for them and received formal training." Behar, too, acknowledged the ex-CNN host "did say some dumb things."

"But I only know him personally," Behar said. "I don't know what he does when he's with his co-workers." 

"Well, I do. Because I was his co-worker," Hostin continued defending Lemon. 

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Haines pointed to the "new management" that came to CNN last year and said "the writing was on the wall" when network CEO Chris Licht took over. 

"So, yes, he had some missteps. He's also apologized for those missteps but I think in some ways it was coming down the pike for a while," Haines said. 

Whoopi Goldberg, meanwhile, seemed puzzled by CNN putting Lemon on a morning show with two female co-hosts despite internal allegations of misogyny.

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"If you're concerned that somebody is a misogynist, why would you put them with two women to do a show if you feel that way?" Goldberg wondered. 

She continued, "So, for me, it seemed odd when they gave him that show. And I thought, ‘Well, this is - it seems a little strange.’ But, you know, I've known Don forever, too. I didn't work with him. We're just friends."

Following what ended up being his final appearance on "CNN This Morning" on Monday, Lemon took to Twitter with the shocking revelation that he was fired by the network. 

"I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned," Lemon wrote. "After 17 years at CNN I would have though that someone in management would have had 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. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play."

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CNN, which had characterized the firing as a parting of ways in a statement that followed Lemon's tweet, pushed back at the former anchor, saying, "Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter."

It is unclear who will replace Lemon on the morning program.