Washington — Democratic Sen. Cory Booker delivered a marathon speech on the Senate floor overnight, continuing into the morning on Tuesday in a protest of the Trump administration’s policies.
Booker, a 55-year-old who first came to the Senate in 2013 and is now the fourth-ranking Democrat, began speaking around 7 p.m. on Monday and said he would continue speaking “for as long as I am physically able.” As the sun rose on Tuesday morning, he was still speaking from the Senate floor.
Booker cited the legacy of leaders, like late congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis, whom he said stood up “when this country was facing crossroads, was facing crises, they stood up.”
“I rise today in an unusual manner,” Booker said, before invoking Lewis’ refrain to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble, help redeem the soul of America.”
“Tonight, I rise with the intention of getting in some good trouble,” Booker said, pledging to disrupt the normal business of the Senate. “I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis… These are not normal times in America, and they should not be treated as such.”
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) 
More than 12 hours later, Booker was still speaking. The New Jersey Democrat spent some of that time reading letters from constituents who say they have been harmed by the Trump administration’s policies, and condemning the administration more broadly — from trade wars to mass firings to deportations and threats to Medicaid.
Booker occasionally yielded to his Democratic colleagues on the floor, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Andy Kim of New Jersey, Peter Welch of Vermont, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York as they echoed his concerns with the administration and encouraged his effort.
After 7 a.m. Tuesday, Booker acknowledged the 12 hours that has passed, saying he’s “wide awake” and would “stand here for as many hours as I can.”
