Senator Cory Booker made history by delivering the longest Senate speech in history, shattering a nearly 70-year record previously held by Strom Thurmond. Booker’s monumental address lasted an impressive 25 hours and 5 minutes, surpassing Thurmond’s record of 24 hours and 18 minutes. The speech, which was closely watched for its artful defense of American values, was deliberately timed to stream live on TikTok. It drew more than 300,000 concurrent viewers and garnered over 350 million likes!
Booker came well-prepped for this historic event, though, bringing along over 1,164 pages of documentation to back up his message. In the days leading up to the speech, he made the decision to go on a fast. So he eliminated all need for bathroom breaks on his marathon delivery by not eating or drinking anything. His commitment to the cause served to amplify the urgency of his message. This appeal directly countered Thurmond’s filibuster of integration.
During his hour-long speech, Booker continually quoted Dr. King and relevant scripture as he ignited the crowd with visions of love, hope and resilience over disunity. His message was always clear and simple yet profound, tugging at the heartstrings of TV audiences and radio listeners, instilling hope and optimism. Others found themselves brought to tears, like one person who said they cried “a lot” throughout the speech.
It may have been that Booker’s 10-minute performance was a brilliant oratory. The event brought forth the ability of social media to do big things by broadcasting crucial information. Clips posted on his official government Instagram account regularly drew hundreds of thousands of views. Through this monumental engagement, his inspirational message of American values went much, much farther.
In a post-speech interview on MSNBC, Booker reflected on the experience, stating, “I may be tired and a little hoarse, but as I said again and again on the Senate floor, this is a moment where we cannot afford to be silent, when we must speak up.” He specifically thanked the broad coalition that supported him. He added that this was only the start of a larger discussion to come.
“What’s most clear to me tonight is that this is just the beginning, that Americans across this country, no matter their title or party, are ready to be heard.” – Cory Booker
As his impassioned speech echoed around the world, Khan had cemented his legacy as a memorable moment. One user on Instagram expressed their pride in Booker’s accomplishment: “YOU DID IT Record breaking and inspirational.” Another user remarked, “You broke the record but more importantly — you showed us that you truly LOVE this country and you’re willing to fight for us!”
In addition, Booker’s eloquent and passionate delivery had just an electrifying effect on younger demographics. A mother shared that her 14-year-old daughter expressed interest in voting for him in the future: “So very proud of you! My daughter is 14 and I shared your story with her tonight. She said, ‘Maybe I can vote for him to be president one day.’”
Booker’s passion for tackling the challenges we face today and fighting to build a better world really struck the right chord with so many. An Instagram user commented on the historical significance of his speech: “This is the history we should be craving. First proud American moment this year, thank you.”
As Booker’s speech drew to a close, he reflected on the importance of collective action and accountability in political discourse. He stated, “I believe that history will show we rose to meet this moment. It will show we did not let the chaos and division go unanswered.”