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Former US President Bill Clinton has signed up to appear as a commentator on US television.
Mr Clinton will debate topical issues with his former presidential adversary, Senator Bob Dole, for 10 weeks on the CBS network.
Mr Clinton has turned down several television offers since leaving office in 2001, including a daytime chat show.
He says he finally agreed to the offer from the 60 Minutes programme because the show has a reputation for covering topics properly.
The weekly discussions, which will run for about three minutes, will be a mini-reprise of the presidential debates of 1996, when Bob Dole, a former Senate majority leader, unsuccessfully challenged Mr Clinton.
Cut-throat industry
The former president says he hopes their discussions will shed light rather than heat on complicated issues.
"I think the American people are anxious to have not just information but some perspective," he said.
"They know we have a lot of choices to make and I think that Bob and I are both doing this for the same reason - we hope that by having a civilised discussion that will often be, but not always, a disagreement, we'll help people understand."
The first discussion, about whether it is right to cut taxes in a time of war, will be transmitted this Sunday and both men have agreed to record nine further debates.
Whether their contracts will be extended beyond that will be determined by the audience figures the two men attract.
American television is a cut-throat industry and, despite the distinguished nature of these two politicians, if they do not pull in the viewers, they will promptly be dropped.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2827825.stm
Mr Clinton will debate topical issues with his former presidential adversary, Senator Bob Dole, for 10 weeks on the CBS network.
Mr Clinton has turned down several television offers since leaving office in 2001, including a daytime chat show.
He says he finally agreed to the offer from the 60 Minutes programme because the show has a reputation for covering topics properly.
The weekly discussions, which will run for about three minutes, will be a mini-reprise of the presidential debates of 1996, when Bob Dole, a former Senate majority leader, unsuccessfully challenged Mr Clinton.
Cut-throat industry
The former president says he hopes their discussions will shed light rather than heat on complicated issues.
"I think the American people are anxious to have not just information but some perspective," he said.
"They know we have a lot of choices to make and I think that Bob and I are both doing this for the same reason - we hope that by having a civilised discussion that will often be, but not always, a disagreement, we'll help people understand."
The first discussion, about whether it is right to cut taxes in a time of war, will be transmitted this Sunday and both men have agreed to record nine further debates.
Whether their contracts will be extended beyond that will be determined by the audience figures the two men attract.
American television is a cut-throat industry and, despite the distinguished nature of these two politicians, if they do not pull in the viewers, they will promptly be dropped.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2827825.stm
