Podcast Summary: The Opinions – America's Next Story: Senator Cory Booker

Host: David Leonhardt (New York Times Opinion)
Guest: Senator Cory Booker (New Jersey)
Date: November 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, David Leonhardt sits down with Senator Cory Booker as part of the "America's Next Story" series, which explores the ideas that have historically united the country and those that might do so in the future. Booker reflects on his marathon 25-hour Senate speech against President Trump, the evolving challenges facing American democracy, the shifting political landscape, and the critical need to restore a sense of common purpose and progressive patriotism.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Problem with Centering Trump in the Narrative ([03:35])

• Booker's Perspective on Trump: Booker argues that constantly making Donald Trump the “main character” in America's narrative ignores deeper issues:
  • Quote: “Donald Trump is a symptom, I think, of a deeper problem... how tribal we've become as a country, how we are being told on all of our major platforms that... we should hate each other.” (Senator Cory Booker, [05:47])
• Disenchantment with Politics: Booker attributes New Jersey's shift toward Trump (despite not flipping Republican) to widespread frustration and lost faith in both parties, not unique appeal for Trump.
• Economic Anxiety: There's a growing sense that the American dream is out of reach, fueling distrust in "who can deliver" lasting prosperity.
• Democrat and Republican Disconnect: Both parties are failing to inspire belief that they can improve material circumstances for ordinary Americans.

2. Democratic Party's Missed Opportunities and Communication Failures

• Lack of Engagement with Young and Minority Voters:
  • Booker highlights the Democrats’ insufficient presence on platforms where young people get news, like TikTok and gaming channels.
  • Quote: “You guys are running to go do an MSNBC, and I love my MSNBC... I can show you on my platforms, that one video of mine can get more than the top rated views on MSNBC. And so we're in a different era.” (Senator Cory Booker, [09:13])
• Need for Vision and Delivery: Booker contrasts FDR’s era, which earned loyalty by both articulating and fulfilling a vision for working people, with today’s Democratic Party, which he says has “failed in my generation.” ([11:03])

3. The 25-Hour Senate Speech: Purpose, Reach, and Limits ([12:33]–[16:54])

• Background: Booker delivered a record-breaking 25-hour Senate speech protesting Trump’s actions and the normalization of the current crisis.
  • Dedication: "I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able." (Senator Cory Booker, [01:30])
  • Personal Sacrifice: Booker dehydrated and fasted for days to maximize time on the floor.
    • Quote: “I did something that you should not do. Dehydrated yourself for more than a day. And then I didn't eat food for three days.” (Senator Cory Booker, [12:40])
• Goal: To show this is “not a normal time” and to spotlight the pain being experienced across party lines.
• Response and Result: The speech resonated, especially through digital platforms, generating attention from millions—but Booker acknowledges that singular moments aren’t enough.
  • Quote: “What we have to repent for is not just the vitriolic words and violent actions of the bad people, but the appalling silence and inaction of the good people.” (Senator Cory Booker, quoting Dr. King, [16:43])

4. Connecting Democracy to Daily Life ([16:54]–[18:20])

• Democracy as a Kitchen Table Issue:
  • Storytelling Failure: Booker critiques politicians for failing to link democratic erosion to real-world struggles like healthcare costs and energy prices.
  • Quote: “If you can't tell people that the corruption of oil companies... is connected to your high energy costs, then you're not telling the story.” (Senator Cory Booker, [17:15])
• American Ideals and Common Cause: He emphasizes the enduring power of founding ideals, which have fueled every major movement—from Susan B. Anthony to Harvey Milk.
  • Quote: “I want people to feel the magnitude of who we are as a people... We are exceptional especially because of Frederick Douglass... because of people who believed so much in this democracy, even when the democracy ... didn't believe in them.” (Senator Cory Booker, [18:20])

5. Redefining and Reclaiming Patriotism ([28:34]–[31:56])

• Progressive Patriotism: Patriotism should not be monopolized by conservatives or equated with jingoism; instead, it’s a matter of devotion to shared ideals, not just symbols.
  • Quote: “If I'm going to try to do anything in the coming years is to reclaim a deeper, more meaningful patriotism. That's not symbols and slogans. It's shared devotion to shared ideals.” (Senator Cory Booker, [29:39])
• Acts of Everyday Patriotism: Booker highlights unsung heroes—teachers, police officers, community advocates—as exemplars of this “infectious” civic spirit.
  • Quote: “You know what patriotism is? It's that cop that I know in Newark that works all day protecting people and then runs the Little League program... it's the people in our country that... do quiet acts of shared devotion.” ([30:17])

6. Optimism Amid Darkness ([26:38]–[28:34])

• Faith After Disappointment: Booker urges perseverance and optimism, drawing from the legacy of figures like A. Philip Randolph and key moments in civil rights history.
  • Quote: “You cannot have great courage unless you face great fear. And you cannot have great hope unless you face great despair.” (Senator Cory Booker, [26:57])
  • Comparison: “There's nothing we're experiencing now that our ancestors didn't experience worse... they fought through it and they brought about a new day.” ([27:17])

7. Policy, Principle, and Political Strategy ([21:43]–[24:40])

• Collaboration and Boundaries: Booker insists on working across the aisle for common good, but refuses to support measures that undermine democratic norms or fairness (e.g., grant programs that exclude blue states).
• Intraparty Debate: He supports “tough conversations” within the Democratic Party and wants this transition to be a “competition of ideas,” prioritizing people over party allegiance.

Noteworthy Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the American Dream:
  “My grandfather bragged to the day he died that he converted through his organizing and working on elections, that he got 14 districts in Detroit to shift over to the Democratic Party.” (Senator Cory Booker, [10:50])

• On Progressive Storytelling and Poetry:
  “Politics has to still be about not just the prose, but the poetry.” (Senator Cory Booker, [17:15])

• On the Dangers of Cynicism:
  “Every American has a choice...to surrender the idea of America, to surrender to cynicism, to delve into despair, or to fight like hell.” (Senator Cory Booker, [28:05])

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Introduction & Context: [00:45]–[02:35]
• NJ's Shift Toward Trump; Disillusionment with Politics: [03:05]–[07:42]
• Immigrant and Minority Voter Shift: [07:49]–[11:02]
• Lessons from FDR & Loss of Party Vision: [11:03]–[12:20]
• The 25-Hour Senate Speech: Motivation and Experience: [12:33]–[16:54]
• Democracy, Corruption, and Kitchen Table Issues: [16:54]–[18:20]
• Progressive Patriotism & Civic Devotion: [28:34]–[31:56]
• Optimism and Resilience in Dark Times: [26:38]–[28:34]
• Policy Boundaries & Intraparty Debates: [21:43]–[24:40]

Conclusion

Senator Cory Booker’s conversation touches on themes of lost faith, the need for politicians to meet Americans in their lived realities, the enduring resilience of democratic and patriotic ideals, and the urgency of repairing divisions. His hopefulness, rooted in historic struggle and personal conviction, is a call for creative, inclusive leadership—and for Americans to reclaim the dream, together, with courage and honest debate.