Cory Booker ends record-breaking Senate speech with tribute to late John Lewis
The power of the people is greater than the people in power. It is time to heed the words
of the man I began this whole thing with, John Lewis. I beg folks to take his example of his
early days where he made himself determined to show his love for his country at a time the country
didn't love him, to love this country so much, to be such a patriot that he endured beatings
savagely on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, at lunch counters, on freedom rides. He said he had to
do something. He would not normalize a moment like this. He would not just go along with business
as usual. He wouldn't know how to solve it. But there's one thing that he would do that I hope
we all can do that I think I did a little bit of tonight. He said for us to go out and cause
some good trouble, necessary trouble, to redeem the soul of our nation. I want you to redeem
the dream. Let's be bold in America not to mean and degrade Americans, not divide us against each
other. Let's be bolder in America with a vision that inspires, with hope that starts with the
people of the United States of America. That's how this country started. We the people. Let's get
back to the ideals that others are threatening. Let's get back to our founding documents that
those imperfect geniuses had some very special words at the end of the Declaration of Independence.
It was one of the greatest in all of humanity declarations of interdependence.
When our founder said we must mutually pledge, pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes,
and our sacred honor. We need that now from all Americans. This is a moral moment. It's not left
or right. It's right or wrong. It's getting good trouble. My friend, Madam President, I yield the floor.
Madam President, Madam President, thank you to the pages. Thank you to the parliamentarian staff.
Thank you to the clerks. Thank you to the doorkeepers. There are so many people that
make this place special. I kept you up all night, kept you up 24 hours. I just want to say thank you.
Thank you, everybody.