Giving speeches isn’t something that most people enjoy, but New Jersey’s Cory Booker decided to take it a step further. He set out to break the record for the longest continuous speech in the Senate, aiming to speak for over 25 hours—specifically, 25 hours and 4 minutes. The 55-year-old senator was understandably exhausted by the time he finished. However, his remarkable feat overshadowed the previous record held by Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, who had spoken for 24 hours and 18 minutes.
Cory Booker focused heavily on criticizing President Donald Trump’s administration during his record-breaking speech. He vehemently condemned proposed budget cuts to social programs, arguing they would disproportionately harm the most vulnerable populations. Additionally, Booker took aim at Elon Musk and the Department of Efficiency, suggesting that Musk’s influence lacked the necessary oversight and accountability. Other key topics included Trump’s harsh immigration policies, which the New Jersey senator described as harmful to immigrant communities, and the critical need to preserve an independent judicial system as a cornerstone of democracy.
Booker’s speech stands in stark contrast to Thurmond’s. While Thurmond vehemently opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, which aimed to protect African American voting rights, Booker acknowledged this historical opposition, referencing Thurmond during his address. “You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond—after filibustering for 24 hours—came to the floor and said, ‘I’ve seen the light’?” Booker remarked. “No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it, and John Lewis bled for it.”
The New Jersey senator wasn’t fighting alone. As he delivered his speeches, he was joined by like-minded colleagues who supported his efforts. Senator Chris Murphy praised Booker’s perseverance, stating, “What you have done here today, Senator Booker, couldn’t be more different from what happened on this floor in 1957. Strom Thurmond stood in the way of inevitable progress toward equal political and economic rights for Black Americans.”
The 25-hour speech was also livestreamed on YouTube, gaining over 115,000 viewers. The video later spread to many other social media sites, with many internet users commenting. “He must be exhausted!! But good on Senator Booker, defeating a racist’s record!” one Redditor commented. “As a non-American, are the people listening in the Senate able to leave/come back, or are they all stuck there with him while he does this? Because I would be so, so tired.”
