James Carville hired as a Fox News contributor

NEW YORK, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Democratic strategist, author and television personality James Carville has joined Fox News Channel as a contributor, Fox announced Thursday.

"James' successful and storied career in politics over several decades is an enormous asset to Fox News," Bill Shine, executive vice president of programming at the network, said in a statement to Variety. "We are privileged to have him lend his breadth of experience, wit and dynamic perspective on the network."

The hiring of the former aide to President Bill Clinton and ex-CNN "Crossfire" co-host comes as something of a surprise since most of the channel's other personalities are known for their conservative views, Variety said.

Carville also works as a political science professor at Tulane University.