“Got a little bit of bittersweet news from me this morning. This is going to be my final broadcast with all of you,” Kasie Hunt said when announcing her departure at the end of Way Too Early on Friday (July 16.) The MSNBC host and NBC News correspondent said she plans to share details about her “next adventure in the next few weeks,” though Variety reports that she’s going to CNN. “I just want to thank everyone at NBC News, at MSNBC, of course to Mika [Brzezinski, cohost of Morning Joe], for always insisting that you should know your value.”
Some personal news, as they say — thank you to all of the viewers, reporters, lawmakers and everyone else who’s gotten up extra early to help make @WayTooEarly better. I loved doing this show. More soon! #WayTooEarly pic.twitter.com/k3ULeqRZJI
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) July 16, 2021
That reference – “know your value” – was to Mika’s best-selling book, Know Your Value: Women, Money and Getting What Your Worth. Kasie, according to Variety, is joining CNN to help the news network develop content for the streaming arena. The publication claimed that “one person familiar with the matter said [Kasie, 36] was offered an annual salary of between $1 million and $1.5 million that NBC News felt it simply could not match.”
Shortly after announcing her exit on the air, Kasie tweeted, “Thank you to all of the viewers, reporters, lawmakers, and everyone else who’s gotten up extra early to help make @WayTooEarly better. I loved doing this show. More soon! #WayTooEarly.” As she prepares for this adventure, here’s what you should know.
1. Kasie Hunt Is A Political Correspondent.
Born on May 24, 1985, Kasie Sue Hunt grew up in Wayne, Pennsylvania. She attended George Washington University, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in international affairs. She earned her Master’s degree in sociology from St. John’s College, Cambridge. She began her political career as an intern at NBC News. She covered the 2010 midterm elections for Politico and joined the Associated Press in 2011. She covered the Republican primary field for the 2012 presidential election, per Observer, going on the road with candidate Mitt Romney.
2. Kasie Joined NBC in 2013.
After her stint with the AP, Kasie joined NBC News in 2013. She first began her tenure as an off-air producer and transitioned to an on-camera role by hosting KasieDC, a Sunday night program for MSNBC. She also became a regular presence on NBC Nightly News and Meet The Press, often filling in for Chuck Todd on MTP Daily. She also worked with Todd to co-anchor big political nights with NBC News Now, the network’s streaming outlet.
3. Kasie Began Hosting ‘Way Too Early’ In 2020.
“It is actually way too early! Although I have learned to be a morning person over my years in television. I’m not always the best at motivating myself to get out of bed; I’m sure the alarm will not be welcome every day. But I’m looking forward to being part of the Morning Joe family,” she told the Washingtonian in September 2020. The show began in 2009, hosted by Willie Geist, and aired its final regular edition in 2016 (Way Too Early transitioned into Morning Joe First Look). Kasie was eager to relaunch Way Too Early, especially with the original name.
“The news is obviously pretty heavy right now, but also people want to wake up with a little bit of fun sometimes, so hopefully we can kind of revive that,” she added.
4. She Is A Mom.
“My son just turned one last week. So hopefully, this will give me more time when he’s awake to hang out with him,” Kasie told the Washingtonian. Kasie married NBC News producer Matt Rivera in 2017. In September 2019, they welcomed their first child together, a son they named Mars.
5. She Was At The Capitol During The January 6 Riot.
Kasie was at the U.S. Capitol on the morning of Wednesday, January 6, 2021, to cover the certification of the 2020 Electoral College votes for NBC News. Twenty minutes into her broadcast, a mob of Donald Trump supporters broke into the capitol. Kasie was reporting from an adjoining building, and shared her experiences with Esquire. “From where I was sitting, you could look out the window and see where the mob was gathering on the steps,” she said. “I started watching this all unfold and thinking: Surely, this is exaggerated. Surely if I say there is a mob on the floor, it would be wrong. But it wasn’t wrong.”