On the evening of March 31 into April 1, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker broke a 68-year-old record within the United States Senate with his 25 hour speech. Booker’s speech centered on his reactions to the Trump Administration’s recent policies and was met with support from dozens of other Senate Democrats.
His speech surpassed the longest previous record, set by Republican Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes to protest the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
“I was very aware of Strom Thurmond’s records since I got to the Senate,” Booker told ABC. “I always felt that it was a strange shadow to hang over this institution.”
He made another statement to TIME Magazine.
“I’m not here though because of his speech,” Booker said. “I’m here despite his speech. I’m here because as powerful as he was, the people were more powerful.”
Many wonder if Booker’s actions qualify as a filibuster, but it was not a traditional filibuster. Filibusters are usually acted to delay the passage of a specific piece of legislation, but Booker’s speech was rather a display of passion.
Whereas Cruz and Thurmond were protesting pieces of legislation, Booker was not attempting to hold up any specific legislation.
Booker began his speech by addressing the President and Congress to let them know that he was intentionally disrupting the normal business hours of the United State Senate for as long as he was physically able to. He told reporters and constituents that he stopped eating on Friday and stopped drinking water the night before he started on Monday.
His disruption was founded on his belief that our nation is in crisis. He told the Senate and Americans at home that, “our institutions are being recklessly and unconstitutionally attacked and even shattered.”
To open his speech, he addressed threats to Social Security, a trade war on our allies, corruption in the White House, the gutting of public education, the unemployment of thousands of veterans and federal employees, the slashed funding of pediatric cancer research, the abandonment of American international commitments, the censoring of the press, the silencing of American universities, the pardoning of Jan. 6 protesters, and more.
During his speech, Booker shared stories of countless Americans and constituents that emulated the vulnerable state of the country.
Booker also mentioned his inspiration from Rep. John Lewis, a longstanding civil rights advocate who passed away in 2020. Booker mentioned Lewis’ sentiment of “getting in good trouble.”
“And had to ask myself, if he’s my hero, how am I living up to his words?” Booker asked.
Booker also mentioned the role of his faith and how it inspired him during his speech, and how his fellow colleagues encouraged him. He told NBC News that he prayed with fellow Senators Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware.
Booker’s speech not only represented constituents and citizens from New Jersey but also many other Americans. Villanova is home to a large population of students from New Jersey, and The Villanovan spoke to students with roots in New Jersey and those who paid attention to Booker’s speech.
Senior political science student and 2024 Truman Scholar, Lezlie Hilario reflected on Booker’s speech as a former intern of his.
“When I worked for Senator Booker, I had the privilege of sitting down with him and asking him pressing questions that he was willing to answer with no filter,” Hilario told The Villanovan. “In one instant he cited the playwright, Enemy of the People, and speaking of the playwright, he told all of us interns that his goal as an elected official was never to be liked by everyone.”
Booker told Hilario that, “‘Sometimes you’ll be pinned against the wall and have to make tough decisions that may not amount to the results that you want, and that will make you unliked by many.’”
Hilario reflected on Booker’s goals as an elected official that she observed during her internship.
“As an elected official, the primary goal should never be to be popular and conventional, the goal is to create a better governing system, and that takes unconventional methods,” she said. “I think he personified what he told us on the Senate floor. I will not pretend as though I agree with all that he does, but I will say that he is undeniably, and constantly, operating as an unconventional public servant, and that’s the only way we have seen the needle move forward in terms of policy progress.”
The Villanovan also spoke with a member of the Villanova Democrats Club, who also watched Booker’s speech.
“Finally someone with some nuts,” freshman Maceo Crump said. “This is the kind of command of the attention economy we need more than ever from the democrats. The justification behind it was spectacular as well: these are abnormal and abhorrent times, so dramatic action needs to be taken. We can’t pretend like this is business as usual. The devolution of our unity and trust, the dismantling of our great institutions, and the constant attack on our sanity through blatant, egregious lies and conspiracies. This is a truly unprecedented and profoundly evil administration.”
Crump spoke about the future of the political parties and how he hopes that Booker’s speech may inspire stronger leadership.
“My biggest fear is that the Democrats will continue projecting weak leadership and weak communication, enabling Republican brutality without any powerful resistance,” Crump said. “We desperately need a reality check to make people aware—whether for the first time or to remind them—that Trump and the MAGA Republican cult is an abomination.”
