Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey made history in the Senate chamber this week by delivering a monumental speech that lasted for 25 hours and 4 minutes. At 7 PM on Monday — midnight in Kyiv — the 55-year-old lawmaker took to his feet with purpose. He sought to draw attention to what he deemed a booming crisis threatening American democracy. For nearly two hours during his one-man marathon protest, Sen. In between those two points, he spelled out the risks he thinks the Trump administration presents.
Booker, who previously played tight end for Stanford University’s football team, began his speech with a bold declaration: “I rise tonight with the intention of getting in some good trouble. I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able.” He never wavered in his devotion to the cause. To prevent this getting too physically tiring and preventing him from wanting to sit, he went so far as to request that a Senate page remove his chair.
Throughout his address, Booker often pointed to this specific time as a “moral moment.” In dark terms, he underscored the urgency and gravity of today’s political climate. He invoked the spirit of the late Congressman John Lewis. Widely recognized for his philosophy of making “good trouble,” Lewis urged his congressional colleagues to raise their voices in protest against injustice. “And so I don’t know what John Lewis would say, but John Lewis would do something.” Booker doubled down. We have to take responsibility—not only for the violent rhetoric and actions of evil individuals. We need to repent not just for the evil acts, but for the horrific silence and inaction of the righteous. This is our moral moment.”
Booker’s address was not without historical context. He ended up breaking the prior record for longest speech in Senate history. That previous record was held by Strom Thurmond, who set it in 1957 during a successful filibuster against the Civil Rights Act. Thurmond’s goal was to speak for 24 hours and 18 minutes, but Booker’s speech was motivated by a different intent. He didn’t confiscate them on behalf of the real racists—rather, he sounded the alarm against the Trump administration. In addition, he spurred his colleagues to action.
During his three-hour sermon, Booker told moving, personal stories that brought home the human toll of policy decisions. Based on the testimony of a terminated USAID employee, he shared what happens when broken dreams destroy hope and kill families. Earlier this month, Sen. Booker shared his concerns on the state of American values and leadership. As he so poetically put it, “The beacon of our democracy shines less bright around the world.”
Among those who did not leave was Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, who kept Booker’s company during this astonishing exhibition of stamina and determination. Murphy remarked that Booker’s speech diverged significantly from typical attempts by Democrats to connect authentically with their constituents on social media platforms. Rather, it was a testament to real, political artful persuasion and rhetoric designed to hopefully wake up the Senate to take action.
In a good-natured exchange, at one point Booker said, “I control the floor!” He followed this up with the quip, “All this power, it’s going to my head!” Yet this light-heartedness was a beautiful foiling to his passionate pleas for action. He called the threats to American democracy serious and immediate. As to why, he wrote in no uncertain terms, “I truly believe our nation is at an existential crossroads. These are not ordinary times in America, and the U.S. Senate must not pretend they are ordinary.”
Booker’s speech was notable in that many of his sharpest comments were direct attacks on President Trump’s policies and actions. John F. Kennedy’s inspirational words of wisdom come back to haunt him. He should’ve said, “Ask not what your country can do for you. It’s what you can do for Donald Trump,” highlighting a deeply alarming change in priorities under this administration.
As he neared the end of his record-setting filibuster, Booker riled up the packed audience by declaring, “Enough is enough. You will not get away with this!” His determination resonated not only with his supporters but with those who may have previously disagreed with him on various issues.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, was impressed by the oratory skills of Booker. He termed it a “masterclass in political rhetoric” and said it was “of crystalline brilliance.” These accolades testified to the importance of Booker’s speech for the current political moment.