(White House)

Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary during President George W. Bush’s first term, has officially joined CNN as a political contributor, the network announced on Tuesday.

Fleischer, who now runs an eponymous sports PR company, Ari Fleischer Sports Communications Inc., had been contributing to CNN semi-regularly anyway. (He was one of the panelists during CNN’s 9/11 memorial coverage earlier this month.)

After serving as press secretary from 2001 to 2003, Fleischer wrote a best-selling book, “Taking Heat,” detailing his years in the Bush-Cheney White House. He also reportedly counseled Tiger Woods in 2010 as the golfer attempted to repair his image following his widely reported extramarital dalliances.

CNN political director Sam Feist called Fleischer’s experience “invaluable” as the network heads into the 2012 election cycle.