On Monday, March 31st, at 7 pm, Senator Booker of New Jersey began his record breaking speech, which lasted for 25 hours and five minutes. Previously, the record for the longest speech was held by Senator Strom Thurmond’s speech, which was a filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1957 for 24 hours and 18 minutes. Booker prepared 1,167 pages of material with 15 binders and he had the mindset that he would speak for as long as he could. Booker’s speech was about uplifting the stories of Americans who are being negatively affected by the Trump administration’s actions.
Senator Booker wanted to advocate for Americans and wanted to make their stories public. In his speech he protested the policies of the Trump administration, including policies on education and immigration. Senator Booker read over 200 personal accounts during his speech in an effort to share as many people’s stories as he could. Booker wanted everyone to be aware of the struggles people will face with Medicaid cuts, the loss of Social Security benefits, and the loss of educational opportunities if federal funding has cuts. Stories were shared from people with different backgrounds and with diverse political views. Public figures including Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi have praised Booker’s leadership and dedication. They encouraged their followers to watch the speech on their social media.
Booker’s speech was live streamed on several platforms including TikTok and Youtube, where individuals supported Booker with over 350 million likes. The use of multiple platforms allowed Americans to hear his message in real-time, Booker was able to reach a broad audience. News outlets including CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post also covered his speech, giving the public updates and highlights. Additionally, a hotline was set up for Americans to share their own stories and to encourage Booker through voicemail. This hotline received over 28,000 voicemails over the 25 hour speech, showing that public engagement was maximized. Booker made sure he connected with the public, and sharing these voicemails was an interactive way to do so.
Millions of Americans wondered how Booker was able to physically speak for such a long time, and without any bathroom breaks. Booker shared that he had not drank any water since Sunday evening, two days prior to his speech, so that he would not have to go to the bathroom. Booker felt that preparing his body for this lengthy speech was essential, since he would be standing the entire time. He also fasted for four days prior to the speech, so that he would be as light as possible. He is a former college football player, so is used to physical resilience and conditioning his body. Therefore, Senator Booker knew that preparing his body to stand and speak for an extensive period of time was key to his success. After his speech he recovered and rehydrated his body with electrolytes, and was advised to eat foods that were easy to digest.
On March 31st, Senator Booker took an act of resistance that will be remembered throughout history. He was committed to amplifying public voices, and showing the public that he cares for the people and wants to take a stand for what he believes in. He criticized the current Trump administration in a peaceful way that engaged millions of Americans.