Sen. Cory Booker speaks at a rally in support of USAid on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 5, 2025 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla)
Late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., gave a similar stemwinder of a speech when he was the whip. That won Reid plaudits from his Democratic colleagues.
Booker began speaking around 7 p.m. ET Monday. The question is whether this constitutes a "filibuster" or is just a really long speech. From a parliamentary standpoint, a long speech does not necessarily constitute a filibuster.
A filibuster is used to block or delay something on the floor, and it may not require a speech at all. The filibuster is sometimes misconstrued, thanks to Hollywood and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."
Technically, Booker is not delaying anything. The Senate had no pending debate or vote to get to right away. So, he’s actually not filibustering; he’s just making a long-winded speech.
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Sen. Chris Murphy speaks during a press conference following the Democrats' weekly policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 21, 2025 in Washington. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
In order to keep the floor, Booker has occasionally yielded to Murphy "for a question." Yielding "for a question" allows a senator to keep control of the floor. Murphy has then enjoined Booker by also giving rather lengthy speeches - so long that there is an interrogative at the end.
In Senate terms, this is akin to calling in a relief pitcher from the bullpen for a batter or two. Kind of like a double switch. In baseball, a manager occasionally pulls a pitcher, brings someone in from the bullpen and puts the original pitcher in a fielder’s position - then returns them to the mound after a batter. That keeps the original pitcher in the game.
Thus, Booker remains "in the game."
Late Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., holds the record for the longest filibuster: 24 hours and 18 minutes on a piece of civil rights legislation in 1957.
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However, Thurmond’s filibuster was "wind assisted." There was no television or social media. Most reporters didn’t realize he had been on the floor all night until the next day. He left the floor to use the restroom. Get a sandwich. Allowed Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson, D-Texas, to pass bills by unanimous consent and swear-in a new senator.
But because watchful eyes weren’t on the Senate, no one called Thurmond on it.
Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/what-know-about-senator-bookers-overnight-speech