In a recent heated interview, conservative commentator Candace Owens called out former CNN anchor Don Lemon on his apparent hypocrisy over the double standards in reporting the Jan. 6 Capitol event and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) riots.
Lemon mentioned veteran Ashli Babbitt, who was shot during the Capitol event. He argued that Babbitt’s death, while tragic, was the result of her refusal to comply with law enforcement officers’ commands.
“Ashli Babbitt broke into the Capitol. It’s awful that anybody died. Police officers, you see the tape on camera telling her and everyone to stand down as she tried to enter. She was not complying. As people say, when police officers or officials tell you to do something, you should comply,” said Lemon.
“When she tried to break into the Capitol and defied the officer’s commands, they did what they had to do, and she ended up dying. It’s awful that it happened. But to say that she died and insinuate that it was because of some nefarious actions by the officers, I just think that that is beyond the pale and does not actually fit a solid narrative of what happened,” he added.
Owens, however, countered Lemon’s narrative by highlighting the stark contrast in his reporting on the BLM riots that took place in the summer of 2020.
Owens argued that the same summer Lemon referred to as an “insurrection,” Molotov cocktails were thrown into police cruisers during BLM protests. She questioned why these events weren’t being discussed in the same light.
Candice Owens: Well, it’s very—it’s very dizzying. I’m actually dizzy right now because, you know, your entire perspective has been pro-BLM, and your entire perspective on your network has been essentially that it was totally fine for the officers that were bludgeoned, the officers that were killed, the officers all throughout New York City and the BLM riots. You even had, you know, Yale graduates…
[Lemon interrupting]
Candice Owens: Let me finish. I just allowed you to finish. I just think— I just think it’s— It’s nice to allow me to finish, and I’m a guest on your show.
Don Lemon: It is, but I want you to keep your focus on the insurrection and not on the BLM.
Candice Owens: In the very same summer that you’re talking about the insurrection, Molotov cocktails were thrown into police cruisers.
Don Lemon: Candice, can we just talk about the insurrection? We’re not talking about BLM. Can we…
Candace Owens: But it’s relevant because it was happening in the exact same city. And so suddenly, like I said, I’m just dizzy because I can’t figure out whether or not you care about police officers or you don’t care about them, because now you’re sharing emotional stories, and now you’re cutting me off when I want to share one about a Molotov cocktail that was thrown into a police cruiser in New York by some college graduates.
And the media, the platform that you were on, cheered it on, because this was about justice. But suddenly, when it’s patriots, you want to talk about the sad stories of the police officers? You’re now saying that because you don’t comply, you can get shot. That’s fine if that’s your perspective. Ashli Babbitt wasn’t complying, but then we should probably revisit the George Floyd riots.
Lemon attempted to steer the conversation back to January 6th, accusing Owens of deflecting. However, Owens persisted, asking for a clear definition of an insurrection.
She drew parallels between the storming of the Capitol and instances where BLM protesters pulled down statues and stormed into the Capitol during Brett Kavanaugh hearings.
Don Lemon: Let me make a point clear. BLM has nothing to do with the insurrection. We’re talking about the events that happened in Washington.
Candace Owens: I just want to know what the definition of an insurrection is because when I was living in DC, the BLM was pulling down statues, they were marching on Washington. The media was fine with it. It’s confusing because during the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, women were storming into the Capitol. They were lining the hallways.
Don Lemon: I’m dizzy. I am dizzy now because you’re really talking about something that has nothing to do with insurrection.
Candace Owens: I am really confused about when it’s an insurrection and when it’s not an insurrection because the Brett Kavanaugh hearings definitely looked like the definition of an insurrection when they were chasing down senators in hallways trying to stop them from voting. But for some reason, the media supported that because of #MeToo. Again, I’m just trying to get a consistent definition of when it’s okay to storm the Capitol building and when it’s not okay to storm the Capitol building.
Don Lemon: Candace, we’re not talking about BLM and… This conversation is not helping anyone. BLM and what happened has nothing to do with this. We can litigate that and we can talk about that. This is not a conversation about BLM. This is a conversation about what happened on January 6. It’s not about Brett Kavanaugh. Okay?
Candace Owens: Well, they stopped a vote, so I just think that might be relevant to your interaction.
Throughout the interview, Owens made it clear that she believes there is a double standard in how the mainstream media reports on different events based on their political leanings.
Her pointed questions and refusal to let Lemon control the narrative left a lasting impression, showcasing her commitment to challenging bias in media reporting.
WATCH:
Candace Owens sets Don Lemon straight after saying that Ashli Babbitt deserved to die because she didn’t comply with police:
Don Lemon: “Ashli Babbitt broke into the Capitol. She was not complying. As people say: When police officers or officials tell you to do something, one… pic.twitter.com/VmxvnASP55— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) July 12, 2024
