On the eve of the State of the Union address, the cable news channels are already beginning to ramp up their 2012 election coverage. Former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is nearing a deal to become a pundit for MSNBC’s 2012 coverage, according to Politico.
“Would I be happy just practicing law? No. Would I be happy just doing TV and speeches? No. I want to do all of these things and be as active as I can . . . but my main goal is to have some degree of influence on the public discussion,” he said.
Many prominent former governors have jumped to the world of cable news after leaving office. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has a deal with Fox News, while former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer originally signed on as a contributor to MSNBC, before being named the co-host of CNN’s “Parker Spitzer.”