Senator Cory Booker Talks Fasting Food and Water Before 25hr Historic Senate Floor Speech [VIDEO]

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker vowed to keep going “as long as I am physically able.”, and historically the 55 year old Senator Booker stood on the Senate Floor for over 25 hrs setting a new record for the chamber’s longest speech, surpassing the late Sen. Strom Thurmond’s 1957 filibuster against civil rights.  Many have asked how was he able to stand that long without being allowed (according to the rules of the floor) to take a break to use the bathroom or eat?  According to Cory Booker he prepared to make history by fasting food and water.

“My strategy was to stop eating. I think I stopped eating on Friday, and then to stop drinking the night before I started on Monday. And that had its benefits and it had its really downsides,”  “The biggest thing I was fighting was that different muscles were starting to really cramp up, and every once a while, spasm or something.”

Cory Booker’s speech, which began Monday evening, continued for a total of 25 hours and 4 minutes, surpassing the previous record set by Sen. Strom Thurmond, who filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1957 for 24 hours and 18 minutes, in an attempt to block civil rights legislation.  In the 1960s, Thurmond voted against both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Despite his support for racial segregation, Thurmond denied the accusation that he was a racist by insisting he was a supporter of states’ rights and an opponent of excessive federal authority.

“I was very aware of Strom Thurmond’s records since I got to the Senate. I always felt that it was a strange shadow to hang over this institution,” 

Senator Cory Booker historic marathon speech was a stance for citizens concerns and to bring attention to President Donald Trump and his administration’s “reckless” decisions.  Cory Booker filibuster that started at 7pm on Monday has paused only to take questions and a breath from Democrat allies.  Cory Booker is speaking largely targeted spending cuts, including efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and immigration policy, warning Americans that Trump’s policies could soon affect their lives.

A filibuster is a tactic used in the United States Senate to delay or block a vote on a measure by preventing debate on it from ending. The Senate’s rules place few restrictions on debate. In general, if no other senator is speaking, a senator who seeks recognition is entitled to speak for as long as they wish.  Senator Cory Booker’s speech is not considered a filibuster, USA TODAY reports, because he was not attempting to stall or block legislation. 

See video below