Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., gave one great speech in the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Ketanji Brown-Jackson. A speech so good it brought Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to tears on Wednesday. An impassioned speech hearkening back to the plight of Black Americans and the efforts of their forebears that led Booker and Jackson to be sitting together in the Senate hearing room.
Before Booker’s speech, Jackson received push back from Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who plans to oppose her confirmation and defend the tough line of questioning that Jackson has dealt with over the last few days.
“If you look at her record as a federal judge in criminal cases and particularly cases concerning child pornography over and over and over again, she gives incredibly lenient sentences,’ Cruz said. ‘In every single case where she had discretion in a child pornography case, she gave dramatically lower sentences than the sentencing guidelines provide for, and that the prosecutor asked for.”
Jackson had push back as well from South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham tore into Jackson as he lambasted the nominee for thinking ‘supervision’ was an adequate deterrent for child pornography distributors and viewers.
Then it was Senator Corey Booker’s turn to speak, and he completely changed the mood of the confirmation hearing stating, “It’s hard for me not to look at you and not see my mom. Not to see my cousins, one of them who had to come here and sits behind you. She had to have your back. I see my ancestors and yours,” Booker said. “But don’t worry, my sister. Don’t worry. God has got you. And how do I know that? You’re here, and I know what it’s taken for you to sit in that seat.” “You have earned this spot,” Booker added. “You are worthy. You are a great American.”
According to yahoo news, “At various points during Booker’s presentation, Jackson, who spent much of the last two days fending off attempts by Republican senators to derail her historic nomination to the high court, reached across the witness table in the room and pulled a tissue from the pack and dabbed her eyes.”
According to yahoo news The hearing room was quiet during Booker’s remarks, the audience transfixed. When he finished and the hearing adjourned for a 15-minute break, Booker was approached by Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who complimented Booker on his performance and offered him a hug. Booker then moved on to Jackson’s parents, who he embraced.
What Booker did shouldn’t be taken lightly he gave a remarkable speech that could have checked the history of the country that we see today. Years from now we could go back and watch this speech and see the impact it had on society.
