The Blubber

U.S. Senator Cory Booker has set a new record for the longest speech ever delivered in the Senate.

The New Jersey Democrat began speaking on Monday evening and continued for a total of 25 hours and four minutes in what he described as a protest against the Trump administration. Calling it a "grave and urgent" moment in American history, Booker used the floor time to deliver a sweeping critique.

The previous record was held by Republican Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957 to oppose the Civil Rights Act.

"I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able," Booker said at the outset of his speech, which began around 7:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
"I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our nation is in crisis."

Although the speech was not technically a filibuster—an effort to block legislation—it did delay Senate proceedings throughout Tuesday. Booker concluded at 8:06 p.m. the following day.

The 55-year-old, who is the fourth-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, spent part of his time reading letters from constituents who said they had been negatively impacted by former President Donald Trump’s policies.

Booker, who is African American, also reflected on his personal history, noting that he descends from both slaves and slave owners.

"I'm here because as powerful as he was, the people are more powerful," he said, referencing segregationist Senator Thurmond’s historic speech 68 years earlier.

He filled time by discussing sports, reciting poetry, and taking questions from fellow senators.

"I, first amongst us all, really love to speak," he joked less than an hour before breaking the record.

As he surpassed the milestone, Booker quipped:

"I want to go a little bit past this and then I'm going to deal with some of the biological urgencies I'm feeling."

Senate rules require that he remain standing and refrain from bathroom breaks during such marathon speeches.

Booker was briefly relieved by fellow Democrats who echoed his concerns, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Dick Durbin, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

With Democrats currently out of power in the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives, many in the party rallied around Booker's symbolic gesture.

"I just want to thank you for holding vigil for this country all night," Senator Raphael Warnock said on the Senate floor.