Fox hires Dennis Kucinich as analyst
NEW YORK (AP) — Days before President Barack Obama's inauguration for a second term in office, Fox News Channel has signed Dennis Kucinich, one of his former opponents, to be a regular contributor.
Kucinich, a presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008 who ended 16 years in Congress two weeks ago, will make his debut as a Fox contributor on Thursday's edition of "The O'Reilly Factor," the network said Wednesday.
"I've always been impressed with Rep. Kucinich's fearlessness and thoughtfulness about important issues," Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes said. "His willingness to take a stand from his point of view makes him a valuable voice in our country's debate."
Fox is the nation's top-ranked cable news network, particularly popular with Republicans. Its big-name Republican contributors include Karl Rove, Sarah Palin and John Bolton. Democrats in the Fox stable include Evan Bayh, Joe Trippi and Bob Beckel.
Kucinich was elected to the Cleveland city council at age 23 and, at 31, became one of the nation's youngest mayors. He's also been an Ohio state senator and runs his own communications and marketing firm.
"Fox News has always provided me with an opportunity to share my perspective with its enormous viewership," he said.
Kucinich, a presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008 who ended 16 years in Congress two weeks ago, will make his debut as a Fox contributor on Thursday's edition of "The O'Reilly Factor," the network said Wednesday.
"I've always been impressed with Rep. Kucinich's fearlessness and thoughtfulness about important issues," Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes said. "His willingness to take a stand from his point of view makes him a valuable voice in our country's debate."
Fox is the nation's top-ranked cable news network, particularly popular with Republicans. Its big-name Republican contributors include Karl Rove, Sarah Palin and John Bolton. Democrats in the Fox stable include Evan Bayh, Joe Trippi and Bob Beckel.
Kucinich was elected to the Cleveland city council at age 23 and, at 31, became one of the nation's youngest mayors. He's also been an Ohio state senator and runs his own communications and marketing firm.
"Fox News has always provided me with an opportunity to share my perspective with its enormous viewership," he said.
Wow. Okay. Good for Fox. He's as far left as their far right and he'll probably get used as an ideological punching bag, but, good for them for having a liberal on their team to give a counter perspective. I hope he can hang in there with the angry white men.#1 on the list of things that Fox would do to surprise me is hire somebody like Kucinich.
 @Playanekes You must never watch Fox News. They have always had a lot of liberals on their shows. They aren't Air America.Â
Many progressives are attacking Kucinich over this move, but I see it as a positive. Anyone and anything that can shed the light, even a tiny bit, on Fox viewership is a good thing. I just hope his views don't soften and he becomes another liberal punching bag like Alan Colmes but I have hope Ailes knows the demographics in this country are changing, and constant hard-right slop would only send Fox circling the drain with the rest of the GOP and it's fading base.
 @browntown Possibly. Piers Morgan is struggling to make 500,000 viewers most months, and has the lowest ratings for CNN in 20 years. Fox is owning them. But I agree with you. This is good for Kucinich and for Fox as long as they don't use him as the scapegoat representative for everything they're against.