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“Senator Cory Booker has broken the record for the longest speech ever delivered in the Senate. The New Jersey Democrat's marathon address, a symbolic protest against President Donald Trump, in which he warned of a ‘grave and urgent’ moment in American history, ended [after] for 25 hours and four minutes…
“Although it was not a filibuster - a speech designed to obstruct passage of a bill - it held up legislative business in the Republican-controlled Senate. The rules for such speeches require a speaker to remain standing and forgo bathroom breaks. The previous record was held by Republican Senator Strom Thurmond who, when still a Democrat in 1957, spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act.” BBC
The left praises Booker’s speech.
“[Democrats are] trying to spark a broad public rebuke of Trump. Booker encouraged his colleagues to do more on social media and increase the party’s engagement online, particularly among younger voters. Booker’s stunt, and yes, it was a stunt, worked on that score, earning 350 million likes on his TikTok livestream of the speech, according to Booker’s office…
“Senator John Cornyn dismissed Booker’s efforts, suggesting it was only the ‘angry D base’ that was tuning in. Could be, but anger fuels political movements and has a way of spreading — as happened with the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party, which eventually led to Trump’s rise. Booker spoke as voters cast their ballots in two Florida special elections and a state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin. The margins in Florida and victory in Wisconsin gave Democrats some hope that the political tide is turning.”
Nia-Malika Henderson, Bloomberg
“A recent NBC News poll found ‘almost two-thirds of Democrats, 65%, say they want congressional Democrats to stick to their positions even if that risks sacrificing bipartisan progress, and just 32% want them to make legislative compromises with Trump.’…
“Democrats were at an all-time low in popularity in that survey; only 27% of registered voters reported having a positive view of the party. Those numbers speak to a maddening thirst for leadership from Democratic political figures.”
Hayes Brown, MSNBC
“Many of us have been begging Democrats to focus attention on their constituents, whether Democrat or Republican, who are being hurt by these awful Trump-Musk moves. It’s good politics, and it’s good story-telling… Booker did that… reading letters from constituents and other Americans, telling the stories of veterans and elders and sick people and young people terrified of losing their benefits or losing their hold on economic security.”
Joan Walsh, The Nation
“There’s a lot of talk these days about political theater. It’s often used to discredit people—suggesting they’re performing for show rather than acting from substance. But we forget that political theater is sometimes necessary. Every day, the White House doesn't wake up with the attitude of governing; they wake up with the focus of getting ratings and dividing us. We need a little theater of our own to remind people that we have agency…
“The Civil Rights Movement wasn’t just marches—it was sermons. It was speeches. It was language that gave people the courage to act. It brought visibility to the pain that made people feel invisible until it was named out loud. Narrative power is real power. It’s how we move people before we move systems.”
Michael Franklin, The Contrarian
The right criticizes Booker’s speech.
The right criticizes Booker’s speech.
“The self-promoting, 25-hour marathon drew a few curious viewers online, and might have spoken to those in the party’s left-wing base who are still fuming that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) didn’t force a government shutdown last month. But it did nothing to thwart the Senate GOP majority or slow the Trump agenda…
“Such symbolic performances are as onanistic as politics gets, but that’s where Dems are right now… The party is down to a 20% approval rating because Democrats keep fighting furiously on the wrong side of ‘80-20’ issues like protecting trans rights to compete in girls’ sports. Grandstanding for the 20% will win their cheers, period. Nobody else cares, Cory.”
Editorial Board, New York Post
“‘I confess that I have been imperfect.’ Booker solemnly intoned. ‘I confess that I've been inadequate to the moment. I confess that the Democratic Party has made terrible mistakes that gave a lane to this demagogue. I confess we all must look in the mirror and say 'we will do better.’’ Two things stand out here. One is the religiosity of his rhetoric. He could almost be at Mass beating his chest three times as he spoke…
“The other is the idea that extraordinary measures must be taken to stop Trump, a kind of ‘by any means necessary’ approach. Even the use of the filibuster itself betrayed this. After all, not long ago, Democrats insisted that this archaic Senate procedure is racist and must be abolished… This attitude on its face rejects the will of the voters who put Trump in office, but it also ignores the millions of Americans who did not vote for Trump but still want the Democrats to work with him to solve problems, not to keep screaming for four more years.”
David Marcus, Fox News
“Just months ago, much of Schumer’s proud caucus and other top Democrats stood united behind a brazen lie as part of an effort to do away with the filibuster and push through their unpopular agenda. As early as July 2020, Barack Obama was calling on the Senate to ditch the ‘Jim Crow relic.’… [But] there the minority leader was on Tuesday, showering Booker with praise for his so-called filibuster…
“The Democratic playbook is as tedious as it is deceptive. In any and every situation, Democrats mash every button they can conceive of with no regard for intellectual consistency or honesty. When they’re in the majority, they claim the broadest possible mandate and seek to strip the Republicans of all minoritarian protections. When they’re in the minority, they play the part of righteous rebels and cling to those same protections. This maximalist approach — slash-and-burn politics, as it were — results in no shortage of embarrassment.”
Isaac Schorr, New York Post
Meet Pennsylvania’s Apple-Snatching ‘Little Bigfoot’.
Atlas Obscura
