Just hours after Fox News confirmed the rumors that it had signed Scott Brown as an on-air contributor, the former Massachusetts senator turned up on Hannity to dissect the State of the Union and criticize Harry Reid. But first, Sean Hannity had to explain, once again, why he passed up the chance to make another run for the Senate. “To do five races in six years and raise another $30-$50 million and then go and participate in a Congress that’s really dysfunctional and extremely partisan — I felt I could make a difference being on this show and doing other things,” he said.
While Brown has definitively ruled out a run for John Kerry’s seat — or, as he reminded Hannity, “the people’s seat” — pundits are still speculating about his political future, and the meaning of his presence on Fox News. Jess Levin, national press secretary for Media Matters, suggested the new gig is just a way to stay in the game while plotting a run for governor of Massachusetts. “I think it’s all about raising your national profile, which is probably good for fund-raising later,” Levin told the Boston Globe. “This is a network that has embraced him in the past and has had pretty much nothing but kind things to say about him. That seems to make sense.”
However, Republican political consultant Rob Gray says this means Brown probably won’t run for the seat. “A regular gig on Fox likely turns off many moderate voters in Massachusetts. Cable TV ratings tend to revolve around controversial stands and conflict, so it’s hard to imagine he won’t get sucked into some issues that wouldn’t help him in any Massachusetts run in the near future.” The election isn’t until 2014, so we can keep this game going for months.
