John,

I wanted you to be among the first to know that I've started a new role as a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. I'm grateful for this opportunity and intend to use my experience to offer hope and try to make sense of what's happening in America and across the world right now.

Our nation remains deeply divided, and much of the reason is because too many of our leaders are more focused on self interest and getting attention on social media than they are in doing the hard work of governing.

There was a time not long ago when serving in elected office was seen as a temporary opportunity to do some good and give back to the community. Nowadays for many, it's simply a stepping stone to celebrity status and self enrichment.

That needs to change in America in order for us to tackle the many challenges we face and restore some sanity to our political discourse.

I started my new role this week with an interview with MSNBC's Ari Melber. You can watch the interview here.