It’s official: Chris Hayes gets weekend politics show on MSNBC

Washington media insiders take note: As expected, MSNBC has announced that Chris Hayes has joined the fittingly left-leaning network's full-time lineup. He also will remain an editor-at-large at The Nation, where he had been D.C. editor since 2007.

Starting Sept. 17, Hayes, who sometimes subs for MSNBC primetime stalwarts Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell, will host a live weekend morning politics show from 7-9 a.m. (EST) on Saturdays and 8-10 a.m Sundays. Veteran weekend anchor Alex Witt will follow Hayes on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon.

"Chris is a thoughtful analyst and one of the smartest journalists out there," said MSNBC president Phil Griffin in a statement. "As we head into election season, there is no better time to amp up our weekend political coverage."

"I'm tremendously excited to create something new at MSNBC," Hayes said. "I think our position on weekend mornings is going to allow us to slow down the news cycle and look at the week's news with a fresh perspective."

Haynes, who is 32, joins MSNBC as the network has been jostling to stack its liberal talent roster following Keith Olbermann's departure for Current TV earlier this year. In his time slot, he will alternately vie with "Fox & Friends Weekend," "CNN Saturday Morning" and "CNN Sunday Morning." He's a popular guy within the Beltway media circuit, so his new show, which has yet to be named, will no doubt get off the ground with some buzz.

As we reported two weeks ago, Hayes recently packed his bags and moved to New York after being feted by the D.C. journo crowd at a rooftop bar.