Steve Israel joins CNN as commentator

Former Democratic Rep. Steve Israel may have exited earlier this month as a congressman, but he is still going to be a regular cable TV talking head.

The 16-year Beltway veteran has signed on as one of nine new commentators and contributors to CNN Worldwide to help the cable network present a broad spectrum of political views.

Israel, a Huntington resident who formerly represented Long Island’s 3rd District, was a political powerhouse as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2011 to 2015.

Earlier, Long Island University made Israel chairman of its new Global Institute and named him a distinguished writer-in-residence, which will kick off with a campus appearance by former Secretary of State Colin Powell March 2.