What exactly was Dennis Kucinich doing at the Assad interview?

Dennis Kucinich, once a Democratic congressman, now a Fox News contributor, was there, seated right across from Syria President Bashar al-Assad in an interview that aired Tuesday.

Kucinich, with Fox News Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent Greg Palkot at his side, even asked a series of questions. And as noted in the introduction to the interview by Fox anchor Bret Baier, Kucinich was the one who pursued the interview. Kucinich was even the first to start the Q&A, thanking Assad for the opportunity and asking the first questions.

But also in the intro, Baier said Kucinich "was not there in the capacity of a journalist nor was he representing FOX News in that role."

It raises the question: What role, then, was Kucinich filling?

We've requested comment from Fox and Kucinich.

@eScarry