Senator Cory Booker made history Tuesday night, delivering the longest recorded speech in Senate history, an unbroken 24-hour and 19-minute protest against Donald Trump’s policies.
His speech, which began at 7 p.m. Monday, surpassed the record set by segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957 to oppose the Civil Rights Act.
“This is not a partisan moment. It is a moral moment,” Booker declared, gripping a pocket-sized copy of the Constitution. “Where do you stand?” His speech, part protest and part call to action focused on what he described as the Trump Administration’s “reckless dismantling” of essential government programs.
As he stood at the lectern without bathroom breaks, Booker wove together policy critiques, personal testimonies, and readings from civil rights leaders.
“I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our nation is in crisis,” he said. He decried proposed cuts to Medicaid and Social Security, Trump’s handling of foreign affairs, and the increasing influence of billionaires like Elon Musk in government decision-making.
“They are bullying people who dare to stand up,” he warned.
Booker’s marathon speech drew hundreds of thousands of online viewers and became an unexpected rallying cry for frustrated Democrats. Many saw it as a direct challenge to party leaders who had recently compromised with Republicans on a Trump-backed budget deal.
“I’m wide awake. I’m going to stand here for as many hours as I can,” Booker promised at the start. As he broke Thurmond’s record, he reflected, “I’m here despite his speech. I’m here because, as powerful as he was, the people were more powerful.”
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