Joe Scarborough swung a double-edged sword on today's Morning Joe, swiping simultaneously at his MSNBC colleague Chris Matthews and at radio host and debate panelist Hugh Hewitt. The subject was Marco Rubio, with Hewitt calling him "the most dynamic speaker the Republican party has seen ever, since Lincoln." "Since Lincoln," asked Scarborough incredulously—"do you have a tingle going up your leg?"
Scarborough said that rather than recalling Lincoln, "when I see Marco speaking, I'm seeing a guy that's running for student government." Interesting aside: Hewitt predicts that Republicans will have an open convention, with no candidate having wrapped up the nomination before the delegates get to Cleveland in July.
HUGH HEWITT: I've been saying from the beginning, I'm the only person who believes we're going to have an open convention in Cleveland and you need to book your hotel room for two weeks, not four days. And the reason is Donald Trump's not going away, Ben Carson's not going away. He's a repository for people who hate conflict in politics. He's a lovely man, he's an inspiring guy, and people aren't going to leave him. Ted Cruz has by far the most social media interactions than anyone. And Marco Rubio may be the most dynamic speaker the Republican party has seen ever, actually, since Lincoln. And we didn't have mass media back then. So there are a lot -- John Kasich is not going to lose Ohio on March 15th.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Since Lincoln? Do you have a tingle going up your leg, Hugh Hewitt? Since Lincoln?
HEWITT: No, I refuse to go there. I refuse to go Chris Matthews on it, but I'm saying he's the best speaker I have encountered since 1976 on the trail. Joe, do you disagree with that?
JOE: I, oh my God, I certainly disagree with it. I've said it for some time: when I see Marco speaking I see a guy, I'm seeing a guy that's running for the student government, and it's not just because of his age.
HEWITT: Oh gosh, you're so wrong. You're so wrong.
