Brian Schweitzer Joins MSNBC As Contributor

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Thursday that he’s joined cable news channel MSNBC as a contributor.

The Democrat’s first appearance in his new role came Wednesday during an appearance on “The Ed Show” in which he discussed a segment on the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Schweitzer is an outspoken proponent of the project to ship oil from Canada to Texas Gulf Coast refineries, putting him at odds with many Democrats.

He’s appeared regularly on various news programs since leaving office in January 2013. In those and other public appearances, he’s strived to portray himself as a “common sense” politician with little regard for party lines – a stance he said Thursday that he intends to carry over into his new role.

Rumored as a presidential hopeful, Schweitzer has visited the key Democratic caucus state of Iowa but has made no formal announcement about whether he might run in 2016.

He told The Associated Press that a run is “something I might consider in the future.”

For MSNBC, Schweitzer said he will appear once or twice a week from a studio being built at his house on Georgetown Lake, addressing topics ranging from health care and energy policy, to state budgets.

“At Fox News they’ve got it down that Democrats are always wrong and Republicans are always right. Too much of MSNBC is saying the Democrats are always right and Republicans are always wrong,” he said. “When the Democrats have it wrong, I’ll say it and when the Republicans have it wrong, I’ll say it.”

MSNBC spokeswoman Lauren Skowronski confirmed Schweitzer’s role as a contributor but declined to release any details on his compensation or other terms.

After serving the maximum two terms as Montana governor, Schweitzer led a corporate board takeover at Stillwater Mining Co. just weeks after leaving office. He is now chairman of the company’s board of directors.

He said he’s also working on a book about health care reform.