Hugh Hewitt Compares Rubio to Reagan: ‘He’s the Best Speaker’ Since 1976

SCARBOROUGH: "Hugh, here is the irony. There's a narrative that's developed that Donald Trump and Ben Carson insurgence flashes in the pan, and no policies, no campaign infrastructure. Ben Carson is building a campaign infrastructure in Iowa right now and so is Donald Trump."

HEWITT: "I've been saying from the beginning I'm the only person that believed 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 is not going away, Ben Carson is 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 that the Republican Party has seen since Lincoln and we didn’t have mass media back then. So there are a lot of -- John Kasich is not going to lose Ohio. He's going to win Michigan --" [crosstalk]

SCARBOROUGH: "Since Lincoln? Do you have --?” [crosstalk]

HEWITT: "No, I refuse to go there."

SCARBOROUGH: "Since President Lincoln?

HEWITT: "I refuse to go Chris Matthews on it but I'm saying he's the best speaker  that I've encountered since 1976 on the trail. Joe, do you disagree with that?"

SCARBOROUGH: "My God, I certainly disagree with it. I've said it for some time, when I see Marco speaking, I'm seeing the guy that running for student government and it's not just because of this age --"

HEWITT: "Oh, come on."

SCARBOROUGH: "You are so naive."

IGNATIOUS: "I check you on that, Joe. I don't think Marco Rubio is a terrific speaker. He's really good. When he's [indecipherable] with questions that he hasn't prepared. I've sat with him as you have --"

SCARBOROUGH: "I'm not talking about prepared speeches. I have sat in crowds were people expected Marco to --"

IGNATIOUS: "And he does great--" [crosstalk]

SCARBOROUGH: "I'm talking about getting behind the podium and delivering like Ronald Reagan."

HEWITT: "Joe, two examples: at the Orange County Flag Day in 2013 and the alliance defending freedom in Florida, not only did he get standing ovations spontaneously from the Republican crowd, the weight staff came out of the kitchen and lined the walls to watch him. That's only happened with one other candidate, that's Ted Cruz. I always look for does the weight staffs come out--he actually did. And I've seen Ronald Reagan in the same room in 1978, and Rubio did better than Reagan at the same period in the campaign 40 years later."

Joe: "Wow! I can only say Holy cow!" [crosstalk]

ROBINSON: "I knew Ronald Regan, I covered Ronald Reagan and Marco Rubio is no Ronald Reagan."[crosstalk]