On March 31st, New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker delivered a historic marathon speech on the Senate floor, sparking both praise and discontent nationwide. His speech began at 7 pm Tuesday and concluded at 8:06 pm the next day, totaling 25 hours and 6 minutes. At the beginning of his speech he said that he would remain standing for as long as he was “physically able.” Booker set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber’s history. Over those 25 hours, Booker spoke openly against both White House senior adviser Elon Musk and President Donald J. Trump, arguing how the effects of their policies are having a negative impact on the nation and people as a whole.
For a week, Senator Cory Booker’s staff members worked tirelessly to assemble and fill 15 binders with enough material to cover his 25-hour-long speech—for which he did not sit, eat, use the bathroom, or exit the Senate chambers even once. In his speech, Booker highlighted several current issues, discussing the funding cuts for education, healthcare, and medical research. “In just 71 days, the president has inflicted harm after harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the foundations of our democracy, and any sense of common decency,” he said as a part of his opening remarks.
Throughout the 25 hours, Booker made numerous personal connections with some of the topics he discussed—speaking of experiences his family has had with redlining, his father’s fight with Parkinson’s disease, and the effects that President Trump’s administration has had on these issues. He ended his speech in the same manner that he had begun it, by honoring civil rights pioneer and Congressman John Lewis and using his famous call to action, “Let’s get in good trouble.”
Before Booker, the record for the longest Senate speech was held by segregationist Strom Thurmond, who argued for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Booker reflected openly on the Senate floor of his roots as a descendant of slaves and slave owners, referring often to segregationist Thurmond. “I’m here because as powerful as he was, the people are more powerful,” said Booker, who had long been bothered by the fact that a segregationist from South Carolina held the record for the longest marathon speech in Senate history.
To prepare, Booker wore comfortable shoes (Hoka Clifton One9) and fasted, reporting that he did not have food since Friday or water since Sunday night.
