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Senator Cory Booker has set a new record for the longest speech in Senate history, delivering a remarkable address that lasted over 24 hours as a protest against President Trump’s policies. The event has raised inquiries about how the New Jersey senator managed such an unwavering performance without taking breaks for personal necessities.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, who previously held the record with a 21-hour and 19-minute speech back in 2013, shared some insights into the endurance required for such a feat. In a conversation with CBS News, Cruz reflected on the most common question he received during his lengthy address, which was how to handle restroom breaks when one cannot leave the Senate floor. “The very simple answer is: Nothing in, nothing out,” he explained, recounting that he himself had only a small glass of water during his marathon speech opposing the Affordable Care Act. He emphasized that minimizing fluid intake allows one to maintain endurance for extended periods.
Cruz noted that he did not provide Booker with any pre-speech advice but remembered some guidance from his fellow Republican, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who had conducted an 11-hour filibuster earlier that same year. “Rand told me that what ultimately got to him wasn’t his legs; it was his bladder,” Cruz recalled, suggesting that comfortable footwear is also crucial. For his own long speech, Cruz opted for tennis shoes instead of his customary cowboy boots.
In the context of setting the record, Booker humorously acknowledged the need for a bathroom break soon after surpassing the previous record held by Senator Strom Thurmond, whose address in 1957 lasted 24 hours and 18 minutes. Recognizing the biological realities of such an undertaking, Booker mentioned he would continue speaking for just a little longer before needing to “deal with biological urgencies.”
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Emmy Award-winning journalist Kris Van Cleave is the senior transportation correspondent for CBS News, based in Phoenix, Arizona. He additionally serves as a national correspondent, contributing to all CBS News broadcasts and platforms.
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