'Don't know what the hell he's talking about': Acosta on Fox News host 'I saw it on TV! ': Why Trump supporter says she believes election lie PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 16: President and CEO, Discovery, Inc. David Zaslav speaks onstage during the Discovery, Inc. TCA Winter Panel 2020 at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 16, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery, Inc.) Martin Bashir interviews Princess Diana in Kensington Palace for the BBC television program "Panorama" in 1995. Prince William slams BBC after report on methods used to secure Diana interview This is what CNN reporter was working on during period records were obtained secretly Reporter reacts to Chicago mayor only allowing interviews to people of color Conservative radio host says he was fired for anti-Trump views (CNN) — John Kasich’s time as Ohio governor just came to an end. And his time as a CNN commentator just began. On Tuesday morning CNN announced that Kasich is the newest addition to the network’s stable of commentators. He will appear as a guest across an array of CNN programs. Kasich’s first appearance will be on “Cuomo Prime Time” on Tuesday night. His hiring was first reported by Axios on Tuesday morning. Kasich’s move to CNN is notable because he is one of the most prominent critics of President Trump within the Republican Party. He has declined to rule out a 2020 primary bid against Trump. Kasich first took on Trump in July 2015 when the then Ohio governor announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He dropped out of the race in May the following year after Trump emerged as the presumptive GOP nominee. In the past, CNN and other cable news channels have broken off ties with commentators once they took specific steps to run for office. Kasich signed with a talent agency, UTA, to explore TV opportunities and other deals after leaving the governor’s office. When the agency deal was announced on Monday, UTA said it would “help him navigate the next phase of his public and private life.” That same day, CNBC reported that Kasich was “looking to sign with either CNN or MSNBC.” The two channels sometimes race to sign the same voices to exclusive contracts. Last week CNN signed two former lawmakers, Republican Mia Love and Democrat Luis Gutierrez, as commentators. On Tuesday MSNBC announced the hiring of former Sen. Claire McCaskill, the Missouri Democrat who was defeated in the midterms. She will be a political analyst on both MSNBC and NBC News programs. CNN’s deal with Kasich may be a reflection of changes in the political media landscape. Until 2007, he hosted a weekend show called “Heartland” on Fox News. But Fox has changed and so has he. Kasich had “ruled out joining Fox News Channel,” CNBC reported on Monday.<doc-sep>From 2001 to 2007, Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich hosted "Heartland with John Kasich " on Fox News and was at times a fill-in host for "The O'Reilly Factor." | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Media Kasich joins CNN as political commentator Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, announced Tuesday he's joining one of the president's favorite targets in the news media: CNN. "Excited to share that I'll be joining @CNN as a regular contributor starting today!" Kasich tweeted. Axios first reported the hire. His first appearance will be on "Cuomo Prime Time" at 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Kasich ran for the Republican nomination in 2016 and is weighing a presidential run against Trump in 2020. Trump in the past has said he hopes that Kasich and other top Republican critics run against him. This is not Kasich's first go-round with a cable network. From 2001 to 2007, he hosted "Heartland with John Kasich" on Fox News and was at times a fill-in host for "The O'Reilly Factor." CNBC on Monday reported that Kasich "ruled out joining Fox News Channel" this time around. The network's opinion programming has been seen as heavily pro-Trump. United Talent Agency on Monday announced it was representing Kasich. The announcement comes a little more than a week after CNN also signed Republican Mia Love and Democrat Luis Gutierrez, both former lawmakers, as commentators.<doc-sep>Former Ohio governor and 2016 Republican presidential candidate John Kasich made his first appearance as a CNN political commentator Tuesday night — and his team promptly sent out a fundraising letter Wednesday. “It’s simple. With more interviews comes more things to share and grow Gov. Kasich’s message and audience,” the letter reads. “We need to hit our monthly fundraising goals to ensure that we can fund these items. Can you help us make an impact right now?” WATCH: The ask included buttons to donate $25, $50 or $100. Being a CNN political commentator is a paid position. CNN announced it was hiring Kasich Tuesday, a day after he signed with United Talent Agency. (RELATED: 19-Year-Old State Lawmaker Makes Trump An Offer To Fund The Border Wall) Kasich made his first appearance as a senior political commentator on CNN on “Cuomo Prime Time” Tuesday night. “As you know, Chris, I’ve had many years of experience,” Kasich told anchor Chris Cuomo. “It’s my job to try to explain things to people, and I’m not going to explain them from any particular perspective. Just what I think. I’m going to be like an umpire calling balls and strikes. … No one is going to pressure me or talk me into anything. This is not me promoting anything, including myself.” Kasich has been open in his criticism of President Donald Trump, even though they come from the same party. Rumors have swirled that Kasich will challenge Trump for the GOP nomination in 2020, but Kasich said he did not think he could beat Trump in a Dec. 19 interview. “I don’t get into things that I don’t think I can win,” Kasich told an Ohio audience. “And I think right now, today, inside the Republican Party, I can’t beat him in a primary.” CNN also hired former Republican Utah Rep. Mia Love as a talking head Jan. 7. Love and Trump publicly clashed after he attributed her November defeat to distancing herself from the president. “Mia Love gave me no love and she lost,” Trump said on Nov. 7. “Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia.” Follow Evie on Twitter @eviefordham. Send tips to evie@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.<doc-sep>
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s (R) super PAC — Kasich for America — fired off a fundraising email Wednesday, touting the Trump critic’s hiring as a CNN contributor, stoking additional speculation that he will run for president in 2020. “We wanted to reach out to make sure you saw the news that Gov. John Kasich begins a new role this week as a regular contributor on CNN,” the email reads. Readers are invited to watch Kasich’s first interview on CNN on Cuomo Prime Time with host Christopher Cuomo. Cuomo Prime Time welcomes @CNN's newest senior political commentator, former Ohio Gov. @JohnKasich, who pledges to call things as he sees them "like an umpire calling balls and strikes." #LetsGetAfterIt https://t.co/OLkNtyeAAB pic.twitter.com/Hod0vMoJPJ — Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) January 16, 2019 In his first appearance, Kasich dismissed buzz about a potential 2020 White House bid and pledged to act akin to an “umpire, calling balls and strikes,” who is focused on “help[ing] people understand… the way things work on the inside.” “[A]nd by the way, this is not me promoting anything, including myself,” he claimed. “We are excited about what this means for Gov. Kasich and his growing ability to weigh-in on the issues that Americans care about,” the email continues. “We expect to see him continue calling on Washington to end the non-stop politicking and actually do something to offer real solutions to America’s challenges.” “It’s simple. With more interviews comes more things to share and grow Gov. Kasich’s message and audience,” it adds. The fundraising pitch says it needs to hit the super PACs monthly fundraising goals to “ensure that we can fund these items,” strangely implying that Kasich may not to fulfill his duties as a contributor if targets aren’t met. Readers are then prompted to donate $25, $50, or $100. On Tuesday, Axios first reported, and later confirmed by CNN, that Kasich will serve as an analyst on several of the news network’s programs after speculation that he will take a job at the news organization or a role at MSNBC. “The governor has strong insights to help guide conversations in our country in a positive direction and this new partnership with CNN gives him a great platform to do so,” John Weaver, a longtime adviser to Kasich, told Axios. The development came one day after the former Ohio Gov. signed with Hollywood talent agency, United Talent Agency, which represents top celebrities such as Kevin Hart, Angelina Jolie, and Will Ferrell. Kasich, who was easily beaten by President Trump in the 2016 presidential election, has spurred talk that he will he will mount a bid against the president in 2020. In December, Kasich (R-OH) told Fox News Sunday he was “actively” mulling a presidential run and refused to rule out running as an independent. “If all options are on the table, that means they are all on the table. We just have to see the development here,” Kasich said. “That’s the only thing I can tell you at this point. I am not trying to be coy. We are seriously looking at it. My folks talk and meet every week about it, the people that are involved politically. And at the end, I’ll make a decision.”