A Physical Feat

Cory Booker’s 25-Hour Senate Speech

Photo by Gage Skidmore / CC BY-SA 2.0

On March 31 at 7 p.m. on the senate floor, 55-year-old Democrat Cory Booker began his speech criticizing the new Trump administration. Booker’s speech lasted 25 hours and 5 minutes with more than 1,164 pages of material, ending on April 1.

Booker has been a United States senator since 2013, representing New Jersey. His speech broke a record for being the longest individual floor speech ever delivered. Booker passed the previous record set by senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in opposition of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“I think it’s cool that we got to see a new record be made by him beating Strom Thurmond’s record for the longest filibuster,” an anonymous staff member said. “But most of the time when a senator is filibustering for time on the floor, they are not necessarily always saying important things. There is no real rule on what you have to say when you are speaking there in that context; you just can’t stop.”

Because he had to speak continuously, Booker did not eat, sleep, go to the bathroom or sit down during the 25 hours. To avoid having to go to the bathroom, Booker fasted and reduced water intake leading up to the speech. If he had taken a break, the presiding officer would have been able to move on with senate business.

“It is crazy that he was able to talk for that long without having to eat or go to the bathroom and that people were able to sit there for him,” freshmen Seth Starr said.

More than 200 stories from people across the U.S. were shared in Booker’s speech.

“I think it’s important to hear about Americans and their accomplishments and beliefs. Him incorporating those stories made his delivery more easy to follow,” English teacher Lauren Fantle said. “Whenever you hear stories about another person, usually there is at least one thing you can relate to, so I think that was strategic. It gets us to pay attention and connect with what he was trying to say.”