Christopher Hayes: MSNBC's Next Host?

MSNBC may be turning to an old strategy to groom its newest host.

The New York Times reported Monday that the network is developing a show for Chris Hayes, the Washington correspondent for The Nation. Hayes is a frequent guest host for both Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell. The two of them got their shows by... being frequent guest hosts.

Maddow was Keith Olbermann's first regular guest host. When she got her own show in September 2008, O'Donnell took her slot. MSNBC then gave him his own show. The network's 6 PM host, Cenk Uygur, was also a regular substitute before he was given his own time slot.

The Times writes that Hayes is one of a number of people who MSNBC has preemptively signed to new, long-term contracts to prevent them from making any deals with Current TV in the wake of Keith Olbermann's move there. Olbermann, whose new show starts Monday night, has already announced his own line of regular contributors, including Michael Moore and Markos Moulitsas, both of whom will be among his first guests.