Speech therapy

The Cave is now an unapologetic Cory Booker fanzine.

The US lawmaker broke the record for longest speech ever by a lone senator, clocking in at an incredible 25 hours and 5 minutes. Booker, who fasted and dehydrated himself in preparation, undertook his marathon effort to draw attention to the “grave and urgent danger” of President Trump.

While few would have watched the whole speech, lots watched some of it. Booker’s own livestream had more than 76,000 views, AP's stream had over 156,000 views, and another on X had more than 879,000.

It’s a welcome return to the spotlight for a form of communication that’s become a little disregarded in an era where people’s eyeballs are easily reachable, but their thumbs are hard to stop.

Speechwriting is a distinct form, the dexterous artistry of building an argument, paragraph after paragraph, balancing accessibility with a perfectly crafted line that resonates through history. Think “the fierce urgency of now”, “ask not what your country can do for you”, or “I will not”.

It’s a delight that Booker has reignited the art, even for a (literal) day. In doing so, he may also have demonstrated that speeches can drive real impact, even in the age of short form video.