I have a sneaky feeling that MSNBC political correspondent Kasie Hunt isn't a registered Republican. Even so, there's little doubt that at least for now Marco Rubio is winning the Kasie Hunt primary.
In successive appearances on the Up with Steve Kornacki and Melissa Harris-Perry shows this morning, Hunt made clear that Rubio was her standout in the Republican field assembled this weekend in New Hampshire. On "Up" Hunt called Rubio "the strongest candidate in telling a story . . . really somebody to watch." A bit later on MH-P, Hunt hailed Rubio as the person who "stood out to me the most."
STEVE KORNACKI: Rubio's first big appearance in New Hampshire as a candidate; Bush speaking a few hours before. How did each of them go over with the crowd last night?
KASIE HUNT: Steve, good morning, I have to say, I think Rubio's performance might have been the strongest that we heard yesterday. Having watched his announcement speech also earlier this week, this speech was stronger. He was clearly very excited to be a presidential candidate. He called it the most historic week of his life. He started off that announcement speech a little bit nervous, but there was no sign of it last night. And Rubio is probably the strongest candidate in this field at telling a story. He can strike emotional chords in a way that many of the others in the field haven't been able to yet. So while he's obviously back in the polls here, I think that he's really somebody to watch here.
And then a bit later on the Melissa Harris-Perry show.
HUNT: But I think that what stood out to me the most was Marco Rubio who spoke last night and he's probably generated the best response of anyone that's spoke here to so far. And he talks lot about the American dream and the way he describes it is that this kind of thing matters to him because it's personal.
MARCO RUBIO: My father worked events just like this for decades and into his 70s. He stood behind a bar just like the one at the back of this room. On nights when he was tired, when he didn't want to work, he stood behind that bar because the purpose of my parents' life became was to give us all the chances they never had, to open all the doors for us that were not open for them, that all the dreams they once had for themselves would come true for me.
HUNT: So there you have it. And that I think is, the way that Rubio tells stories about his own life is a striking difference from many of the rest in this field. I think he's done a good job of striking an emotional chord. And you've even seen at some some of his events many of the people who are working there, the bartenders who are standing in the back of these rooms, will stop and listen to hear what he has to say.
