By Parker Soughers
On Monday, March 31st, Democratic New Jersey Senator Cory Booker took the Senate floor for a momentous and historical moment. At 7pm EST, Booker began his speech. He would continue to speak on the Senate floor for the next 25 hours, ending his speech at 8:06 pm EST on Tuesday, April 1st.
The previous record for longest filibuster was held by Republican Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957. His speech was in protest of the Civil Rights Act. Booker, who is African American, rewrote the history books, knocking out the legacy of the segregationist Thummond.
“To be candid, Strom Thurmond’s record always kind of just really irked me —that he would be the longest speech, that the longest speech on our great Senate floor was someone who was trying to stop people like me from being in the Senate,” said Booker to an MSNBC reporter following the end of his filibuster.
In preparation for his time on the Senate floor, Booker prepared 1,164 pages worth of materials, practiced using poor posture and unusual body positions to keep himself up, and fasted for days leading up to his speech. His point was clear, he wanted to deliver the contents of his speech as a rallying message for the Democratic Party. Throughout the 25 hours, unlike many other filibusters, Booker stayed on topic. He would proceed to criticize and attack the Trump administration for its lawless actions that undermined American values.
Ever since the Democrats lost the White House in the previous election, there has been a lack of counteraction against the Republican party. Booker’s achievement has inspired the beginnings of a mass public uprising against the actions of President Donald Trump. “This seemed like the right thing to do. And from what my staff is telling me, a lot of people watched. And so we’ll see what it is. I just think a lot of us have to do a lot more, including myself,” Booker explained to reporters as he walked off the floor.
What Booker started within the Democratic party was not the end of the pushback in Congress.. “…we have got to continue to ignite this movement,” said Booker. Moving forward, Democrats and depressed voters now have a rallying flag to get behind, with hopes for a brighter future.
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