Rubio’s remarkable connection with Main Street evident during blogger call

For as long as I’ve covered his campaign, Marco Rubio has held blogger conference calls. Not just with the big blog aggregators, but with independents like The US Report.

My first contact with his campaign was a query about a negative story that turned out to be inaccurate. He responded quickly and specifically, avoiding typical political verbiage, and he didn’t hold it against me.

At that time, Gov. Charlie Crist was the darling of the establishment. I’ve written here that after the first time I heard Rubio speak, I came away infuriated.

Not only was he a brilliant speaker, he had credentials that made him a bona fide candidate. Yet those who were in charge of the Republican Party—some now thankfully no longer with the party—anointed Crist without a nod to the supporters who stuck with the GOP through the bitter climate of 2008.

Rubio held a conference call with bloggers on Wednesday. The first thing he did was not unusual for a man who has managed to escape the elitist mentality characteristic of so many in politics today. Rubio thanked us, basically for believing in him early on. He said he wanted to give “recognition” to those who covered the race from the beginning.

His conservatism also came through. Explaining that no one’s won anything yet, he emphasized he wants his message to “excite people” so they’ll come out and vote. He said, “We’re gonna keep working.”

I had the opportunity to ask a question, and I decided to move from typical talking points to something that intrigues me. President Barack Obama has done a number of comedy shows and late night TV shows. Would Rubio ever do that to defend his positions?

He said, “It depends on who the host is.” He added, “We have to be careful not to trivialize issues.” He didn’t criticize Obama for his appearances, though he could have. Rubio has consistently taken stands against Obama's agenda, but he's been very gracious about the president. That's worth noting considering how the president characterizes Republicans, Tea Partiers and anyone else who isn't a big government fan.

Rubio did admit he loves the late night shows.

The engaging candidate also said he plans to continue calls with bloggers if he wins the Florida Senate seat.

Rubio asked one thing of us. He asked that we place his new video on our websites. You’ll see it below.

Rarely have I publicly endorsed a candidate—in my lifetime, I have announced support for 3. Rubio is one of them. I hope you’ll vote for him on Nov. 2, or during early voting. I think Rubio will be a much needed voice of reason and fiscal conservatism at a critical time in our country’s history. He has a remarkable connection with Main Street. (Commentary by Kay B. Day/Oct. 27, 2010)