EDIT: Livestream here.

As of 11:50am PST he’s still going, so getting close to 19 hours now.

Summary:

Sen. Cory Booker is holding the Senate floor into Tuesday afternoon, as the New Jersey Democrat continues his marathon speech protesting actions taken by President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Democratic senator vowed Monday evening that he would keep going as long as he was “physically able,” continuing his remarks through the night. As of noon Tuesday, he had spoken for more than 17 hours, having begun at 7 p.m. ET Monday.

Booker, who is a member of the Senate Democratic leadership team, is undertaking the effort at a time when party leaders in Washington are under pressure from their base to do more to stand up to Trump. He has castigated Trump’s efforts with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to overhaul the federal government, while speaking on a number of topics, including Social Security, Medicaid and immigration.

“I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able,” Booker said at the outset of his remarks. “I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis.”

“In just 71 days, the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety; financial stability; the core foundations of our democracy,” Booker said. “These are not normal times in America. And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.”

Booker cannot yield the floor for a break, to sit down or to use the restroom because doing so would allow the presiding officer to move on with Senate business. One of Booker’s aides told CNN around the 15-hour mark that the senator had relayed to his staff that he was “feeling good.”

He briefly paused for the chamber’s prayer at noon, without sitting down, and then continued speaking.

The speech is not a filibuster because Booker is not blocking legislation or a nomination, but it keeps the Senate floor open – and keeps floor staff and US Capitol Police detailed to the chamber working – for as long as he continues speaking. Lawmakers had concluded voting on Monday before he began his remarks.

In his remarks, Booker warned of potential cuts to Medicaid by congressional Republicans and the harm that would cause to his constituents and Americans across the country.

  • NotSteve_@lemmy.ca
    1421·
    29 days ago

    He briefly paused for the chamber’s prayer at noon

    Wait what. I know separation of church and state is barely real in the USA, but the chamber actually does a prayer??

    • NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip
      571·
      29 days ago

      He’ll get sanctioned for arbitrary bullshit by republicans and given a stern talking to about unity and bipartisanship from schumer.

      • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
        441·
        29 days ago

        Not that I forgive Schumer for what he did on the CR, but Schumer actually was on the floor helping Booker

        Schumer along with many other dems have been asking super long winded questions to give Booker a break speaking for a few minutes

        (Procedurally, you can take and answer questions without yielding your time on the floor)

        • ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works
          14·
          29 days ago

          The harsh interpretation is that Cory is only looking to shore up good will towards the Democratic Party faction that includes Chuck. Hence this isn’t actually a filibuster that might stop something from passing.

          The more charitable view is that Congressman Booker is reaponding to criticism by demonstrating a level of action not seen outside an Independent senator and a handful of other house members.

          I ain’t rooting against his effort one bit in the face of the GOP, even under the most cynical interpretations of recouperation.

  • clarinet_estimator@lemm.ee
    94·
    29 days ago

    The record was broken and he’s still going!

    He is more coherent after 24 hours standing and speaking than Trump is on his best days.

  • Kate-ay@lemmy.world
    70·
    29 days ago

    Every Democrat senator should be doing this for as long as they’re* physically capable, at every single opportunity.

    I’ve never been a fan of Booker but hot damn am I excited watching him close in on Klansman Thurmond’s record.

    • ripcord@lemmy.world
      61·
      29 days ago

      At a certain point doesn’t the GOP just say “ok, we are eliminating the filibuster rule”?

      • vonbaronhans@midwest.social
        9·
        29 days ago

        This technically isn’t a filibuster, apparently.

        But yes, they could suspend the filibuster rule, potentially. I’m not sure of the specifics. It might require 60 votes?

  • redwattlebird@lemmings.world
    431·
    29 days ago

    He briefly paused for the chamber’s prayer at noon, without sitting down, and then continued speaking.

    Can an American explain this to me? This is wild. Government should be 100% secular.

        • tomenzgg@midwest.socialEnglish
          2·
          29 days ago

          I feel like we’ve run this meme further than is useful; there’s absolutely criticisms to be had about how the separation of church in state operates within American government but it’s hardly the only “developed” (hate that word but you know what I mean) country to have a government that takes for granted Christianity as default; Britain, after all, has a state church – for (pun slightly intended) Christ’s sake – that definitely bleeds into the way its government thinks about what a religion is and how much “religion” gets support.

          I’m not saying I wouldn’t prefer (and hope we move towards) a more strict and complete separation but let’s not pretend America is astonishingly unique…

    • gamer@lemm.ee
      13·
      29 days ago

      I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I see it like adding a wheelchair ramp so handicapped congress people can enter the building on their own.

      If someone wasn’t able to become a congress person because it isn’t “accessible” to their religion, that would be pretty bad for democracy (although tbh I wouldn’t mind banning religious people from positions of power in general)

      • redwattlebird@lemmings.world
        1·
        29 days ago

        Churches enjoy tax exemptions. Wheelchair users do not. I firmly believe that religion should be completely separate from government.

        I think it’s ok if someone who is religious is in government, provided they do their job. Stopping for prayer isn’t doing their job.

        • gamer@lemm.ee
          1·
          28 days ago

          Consider a devout Muslim person elected to congress who is not able to pray because they don’t get time throughout the day to do it. As a result, they step down because their faith is important to them.

          The “usual suspects” don’t want Muslims in congress, so they claim that prayer breaks are unconstitutional, effectively blocking Muslims from any position in Congress, and weakening our democracy further.

          It’s another thing entirely if the “prayer breaks” were something they tried to force onto the rest of the country. That’d be the government trying to use its power to spread a particular religion, which is unconstitutional. But prayer breaks inside Congress are just an accessibility thing.

  • Definitely_Not_A_Monkey@lemmy.ca
    381·
    29 days ago

    While I find this aspect of US politics weird and I don’t know much about this specific politician, it’s nice to see someone doing something other than holding up those weird and useless signs during the address last month.

    If this last election and the last administration has shown anything it is that the Democrats must start over the rebuild the party. They need to use these next four years working on rebuilding their image and winning over Americans.

      • wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works
        10·
        29 days ago

        Disgrace to the name of sprog. Only one poem for sprog that I have found in the last three months, and its not even a good poem, and it was only given when someone else complained at the lack of a poem. Too much sprog, insufficient poem. Will the real Poem For Your Sprog please stand up?

        • tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip
          5·
          29 days ago

          Senator Booker stood on the floor
          For a day (plus an hour five minutes)
          To speak out on Orange acts all should deplore,
          Though at last even he found his limits.

          Observers made comments showing support,
          “At last, at least some piece of action!”
          Yet others despaired and were seen to retort,
          “Too late!” for the Democrat faction.

          But a rare beam of hope as a flash in our lives
          Shines all the more bright for the dark.
          And signals perhaps—gives a reason for why—
          His speech shows an important mark

          Of a record, now smashed, was hereto unbroken,
          And for 70 years sowed division.
          If for no other change we’ll know that he’s spoken
          And created historic revision.

    • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      01·
      28 days ago

      Call me a radical leftist. But I’m much more interested in defeating fascism than breaking bureaucratic records.

      • sp3ctr4l@lemmy.zipEnglish
        1·
        28 days ago

        I mean, I agree, but… politics is theatre to a very significant degree, or optics, or perception management, whatever phrase you want to use…

        This at least shows that at least some Dems are making a publicized spectactle of resisting…

        … As opposed to the old, or possibly still current official Dem talking point memo / strategy of ‘Do not become the story.’ … which translates to ‘be a collaborator / bend over and take it’.

        Fillibustering and doing absolutely everything possible to fuck with the opposition party… is literally exactly what the Republicans did back when the Dems had a trifecta during at least half of Obama’s first term.

        All the Dems have to do is literally copy that playbook… and Booker here is actually doing it.

        Having a functional opposition party that actually looks like it is trying to resist fascists in the government is a pretty important part of an overall societal resistance to fascism.

        It is of course not the entirety of a good resistance plan… but…

        If your plan does not involve that, well then congrats, you are a terrorist in the eyes of the fascists, hope you have more guns than they do.

      • AutumnReaper@lemmy.world
        0·
        28 days ago

        Dude, breaking records is how to get the media to pay attention, spread the message and hopefully encourage resistance.

        Putting down others who take a stand instead of promoting change (aka progressive ideals) is counterintuitive to the term Radical Leftist that you claim to be.

        If you are interested in defeating fascism, then give constructive criticism and ideas to fight back. Don’t put out the fire instead of feeding it.

        • bishbosh@lemm.eeEnglish
          0·
          28 days ago

          Wouldn’t it get more media attention, spread a more encouraging message to do this when there is literally any legislation that he is stopping?

          Criticizing praxis of those in power is valid and good, and it’s incredibly frustrating to see democrats remember that they can do things like this only when it doesn’t actually have any tangible effect.

          • AutumnReaper@lemmy.world
            1·
            28 days ago

            I agree that more could have been done, but we don’t live in a perfect world. Personally, his speech has inspired me to get involved with the protests April 5th. The visibility of SOMEONE doing something has directly encouraged ONE individual to reach out to friends and acquaintances to join protesting.

            There is censorship in mainstream media with protests. They can’t censor a senator that broke a record speaking for the American people. His timing could have the impact of inspiring others and validation of the american people’s fears and pain. Especially when there is a big protest planned this Saturday across the country that is the same week that our voices were given power.

            Giving power to the voices of America is important when censorship is at an all time high and gives validity to the struggles and hardship that we are going through. Our pain must have visibility to inspire change.

            Now we have saying and slogans to promote. Finding good trouble and redeem the dream give hope and expression that are shorthand for what we want and will fight for in our hearts.

  • peoplebeproblems@midwest.socialEnglish
    35·
    29 days ago

    A neat fact: the longest filibuster in history was the against the Civil Rights Act in 1957. 24 hours and 18 minutes. Civil Rights Legislation passed two hours later.

    Booker has done a 10-day hunger strike, so I imagine he sees that as child’s play.

  • LandedGentry@lemmy.zipEnglish
    301·
    29 days ago

    And yet I can’t stop seeing people calling this performative.

    Have any of you shut down congress for a full day?

    • atempuser23@lemmy.worldEnglish
      201·
      29 days ago

      Because of this part

      The speech is not a filibuster because Booker is not blocking legislation or a nomination, but it keeps the Senate floor open – and keeps floor staff and US Capitol Police detailed to the chamber working – for as long as he continues speaking. Lawmakers had concluded voting on Monday before he began his remarks.

      It’s symbolic because he’s not doing it when it actually delays something. His action is not holding or delaying any efforts of the Republicans. It’s still a viable form of protest.

      • LandedGentry@lemmy.zipEnglish
        112·
        29 days ago

        Yet here we are talking about it and he’s on every media outlet’s front page Laying out point by point what is wrong with the current trumpet administration for everyone to read and hear.

        What would you have him do differently?

        • SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world
          4·
          29 days ago

          Why wouldn’t he wait to do this to block legislation?

          Why do it when nothing was going to happen anyway?

          I think that’s what I would do differently.

        • atempuser23@lemmy.worldEnglish
          43·
          29 days ago

          What he is doing is good, but the republicans can be home warm in bed completely unaffected. They will wake wide eyed and bushy tailed to destroy our rights in the morning. He could have picked a point when legislation was being passed and done this in a way that actually slowed down something that shouldn’t be. It’s a much more impressive version of Chuck Schumer’s strongly worded letters.

          Unless he is going to make this a habit and do this again and again making it absolute pain for the republicans to vote our rights away it’s a grand gesture and not much more.

            • atempuser23@lemmy.worldEnglish
              21·
              29 days ago

              If this powerful tool that can be used limited times was anything more than pure theater.

              • NovaOG@lemm.eeEnglish
                32·
                29 days ago

                It’s hair pulling watching Dems not get it over and over and over and over and over and over and over…

                • SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world
                  31·
                  29 days ago

                  If you want to stop someone from doing something you have to take actions that make that change happen in material reality.

                  It’s insane that neoliberals think words and signs can beat fascism.

                  Form a line blocking the legislature, fucking start a brawl, anything besides standing and watching and saying “oh no please don’t end democracy :c”

        • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.eeEnglish
          312·
          29 days ago

          And not a single person listening needed to hear “what’s wrong”. Libs can’t just keep saying “look at how bad this is” and actually point to what their plan is to do something about it.

          There is not a single person paying attention to this that had their mind changed on the topic of Trump or Elon. Seriously. We are exhausted with hearing libs tell us “these guys sure are bad” huh.

      • Triasha@lemmy.world
        5·
        29 days ago

        The Senate is not sitting around with a bunch of time on their hands. If nothing gets done for a day a day of something is getting pushed back.

    • DarthDax@lemm.ee
      33·
      29 days ago

      I agree, but I would argue that it seems performative since he waited after votes on Monday to start his monologue. Perhaps the items being voted on were important though /shrug

    • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.eeEnglish
      45·
      29 days ago

      On the floor filibusters like this are THE definition of performative. Especially when it’s not meant to delay to do something like whip votes. Which this isn’t even doing.

      Also, I’m pretty sure I could shup down Congress for a day with a convincing enough phone call.

    • ripcord@lemmy.world
      251·
      29 days ago

      OK, no matter how you feel about the effectiveness of this, gotta admit it’s impressive.

  • 18-24-61-B-17-17-4@lemmy.worldEnglish
    24·
    29 days ago

    So he’s gotta be wearing a diaper, right? I’m not asking that in a shit talking kinda way either, pure logistics. Either that or going full trucker mode and using a Gatorade bottle.