- Sen. Cory Booker’s speech ran 25 hours and 5 minutes long, breaking a record set by Sen. Strom Thurmond in 1957
- Booker referenced the late John Lewis multiple times, telling his colleagues he planned to get into “good trouble”
- “These are not normal times in America, and they should not be treated as such,” Booker said
Sen. Cory Booker just made history on Capitol Hill.
The New Jersey Democrat, 55, delivered the longest U.S. Senate speech at 25 hours and 5 minutes, breaking the record previously held by Sen. Strom Thurmond at 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957, per The New York Times. The late South Carolina politician previously held the record for filibustering in opposition of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
Booker delivered a speech focused on Democratic opposition to several of President Donald Trump’s sweeping policies, many of which have targeted women and undocumented immigrants.
“I just want to ask you a question, do you know you have just broken the record?” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked Booker when he passed the 24-hour, 18-minute mark. “Do you know how proud this caucus is of you? Do you know how proud America is of you?”
Booker was then brought to tears at the applause of his fellow lawmakers.
Booker’s speech does not classify as a filibuster, as it was not held during a debate on specific legislation to block proceedings, per CBS News. Booker, who first came to the Senate in 2013, began the speech at approximately 7 p.m. E.T. on Monday, March 31.
Upon taking the floor, Booker announced that he would speak “for as long as I am physically able.”
A press release from Booker’s office confirmed that the senator prepared 1,164 pages of material for the speech. He affirmed that he was not there to purposely break Thurmond’s previous record, but rather “despite his speech.” He continued, “I’m here because as powerful as he was, the people are more powerful.”
Afterward, Booker told reporters that he thought about Thurmond’s record-breaking speech since he began his first term, calling it a “strange shadow to hang over this institution,” per the Associated Press.
Booker went on to quote the late Civil Rights activist and Georgia Congressman John Lewis, who he said fought “when this country was facing crossroads, was facing crises, they stood up.”
“I rise today in an unusual manner,” Booker said, before quoting Lewis’ famous phrase to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble, help redeem the soul of America.”
“Tonight, I rise with the intention of getting in some good trouble. I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis,” Booker continued. “These are not normal times in America, and they should not be treated as such.”
Win McNamee/Getty
“You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond — after filibustering for 24 hours — you think we got civil rights because he came to the floor one day and said, ‘I’ve seen the light,’ ” Booker said at another point in his speech. “No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it and John Lewis bled for it.”
During his speech, Booker encouraged his fellow Democrats to work to protect vulnerable Americans from mass deportations and mass firings in federal agencies, threats to Medicaid, the implications of the ongoing trade wars and more.
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Democratic Senators echoed Booker’s concerns, including Schumer, Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey, Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus and other House members were present to observe the speech, reports PBS. The Trump administration has yet to respond to Booker’s 68-year-record-breaking speech.
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