Former Democratic presidential hopeful Yang joins CNN as commentator

Former Democratic presidential contender Andrew Yang is joining CNN as a political commentator, the cable network said on Wednesday.

Yang, an entrepreneur who mounted a surprisingly robust White House bid despite having no political experience, ended his campaign last week on the night of the New Hampshire primary election after finishing a disappointing eighth. It was not immediately clear when Yang would make his debut on CNN, and a spokeswoman for the network did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday morning.

Six of the eight remaining Democratic candidates will meet on stage in Las Vegas on Wednesday night at the latest debate, which will air on NBC and MSNBC. Yang's long-shot outsider campaign was powered by unexpectedly strong grassroots enthusiasm among his supporters, who became known as the "Yang Gang."

His signature policy proposal was the Freedom Dividend, a universal basic income that would provide every American $1,000 per month. Yang argued the basic income would alleviate poverty, lessen inequality, address student debt and counteract the effects of automation, which he said threatened the jobs of millions of working-class Americans.

He also often cut a lighthearted figure on the campaign trail, dancing, crowd-surfing and cracking jokes. "The opposite of Donald Trump is an Asian man who likes math," he was fond of saying.

 

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