New Jersey Senator Cory Booker has recently broken the record for the longest senate speech, in which he held the Senate floor for 25 hours. His speech discussed the current political climate in the U.S. and used questions, opinions and personal accounts from American citizens.
Who is Cory Booker?
Cory Booker is the U.S. Senator for New Jersey, and has been in office since 2013. Since he began his career as Senator, he has been an advocate for minorities, especially those who have been targeted by American policies.
“Cory Booker believes that the American dream isn't real for anyone unless it's within reach of everyone. Cory has dedicated his life to fighting for those who have been left out, left behind or left without a voice,” his official website reads.
Booker received his education at Stanford University, the University of Oxford and Yale Law School. He started a nonprofit in New Jersey that provides legal services for low-income families.
He was elected to the Newark City Council, and his political career has skyrocketed since then. He has been on the U.S. Senate since 2013.
How did the speech start?
The previous record-holding Senate floor speech was held by Strom Thurmond, who was filibustering against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Today, Booker’s speech also held a similar topic of how the U.S. treats various groups– though it was not a filibuster.
“Since Booker’s obstruction did not occur during voting on any bill it was not technically a filibuster. But it marked the first time during Donald Trump’s second term that Democrats have deliberately clogged up Senate business,” the Guardian reads.
Booker walked up to the front of the Senate floor and began his record-breaking speech with a discussion of how Democracy is at risk, a topic that has taken the attention of foreign countries and domestic groups alike.
“I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis … These are not normal times in America and they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them,” Booker began.
He then pushed his seat away– as sitting down during this type of speech is not allowed– and began talking.
His speech held importance for Democrats in a time where complaints from citizens have prevailed, as the Democratic party has not done much to fight against Republican plans.
Another important aspect is his use of social media– rather than creating “quirky” videos that have been criticized, his social media time live streamed the entire speech on TikTok and posted clips of the speech throughout the night.
An aide of Booker, who spoke with Vanity Fair, discussed just how effective his use of social media is.
“He's known among his colleagues in the Senate for using social media effectively and understanding the social media ecosystem,” the aide said.
His ability to use social media has made his TikTok numbers higher than even media outlets, like TV.
“When you look at the numbers of people who consumed it on TikTok, on YouTube, or on their device, the numbers rival television networks,” the aide said.
What did he talk about?
In his speech, Booker spoke of President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the objectives of Republicans currently in power.
“There were recurring themes: Trump’s economic chaos and rising prices; billionaires exerting ever greater influence; Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, slashing entire government programmes without consent from Congress and inflicting pain on children, military veterans and other vulnerable groups,” the Guardian states.
His fellow Democratic party members also helped him throughout by offering questions and other statements for him to answer and talk about, which helped him to push the speech with more topics of discussion.
Senators would ask if he was open to a question, and he would say: “I yield for a question while retaining the floor.” This statement kept him on the Senate floor while being able to collaborate with other party members.
He also read dozens of letters and statements from Americans who have been affected by the Trump administration’s actions.
Thanks to collaboration between media, Senate members and others who stood in support of Booker’s speech, he was able to break a long-standing record while advocating for the people who have suffered under the current Trump administration.
