Sen. Booker: Biggest mistake Democratic Party has made is ‘not centering people enough’

The biggest mistake Democrats have made is “not centering people enough” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said Sunday.

“A lot of people voted for Donald Trump because they trusted him and didn’t trust that Democrats could deliver for them,” Booker told ABC “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos. “We are in a state where, again, the Democratic Party should own up. We partly laid this pathway for this demagogue to come into office, and so the way we deal with that, the way we correct from those mistakes, is to do more of the centering of American voices, American people in our conversation and in our focus, not focus on politics, focus on people.”

Booker’s marathon 25 hour and 4 minute speech that concluded Tuesday evening broke the record for the longest speech on the Senate floor. Booker protested the national “crisis” he said President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk created. It surpassed the record set by Sen. Strom Thurmond, who filibustered the Civil Rights Act for 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957.

During the speech, Booker said that Democrats must do better.

“I confess that I have been imperfect. I confess that I’ve been inadequate to the moment,” Booker said on Tuesday. “I confess that the Democratic Party has made terrible mistakes that gave a lane to this demagogue. I confess we all must look in the mirror and say ‘we will do better.'”

Booker told Stephanopoulos the action he tried to inspire with his speech should not be confused with partisan politics.

“This is not about the Democratic Party, I’m sorry,” Booker said. “The Democratic Party is at its weakest when it’s concerned about the party. It’s at its strongest when it’s concerned about the people, when it’s bigger and broader than any narrow, political analysis. This is the time for Americans to step up.”

Tens of thousands of “Hands Off” protesters rallied in more than 1,200 cities across the country on Saturday to speak out against the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal workforce and other policies, according to organizers.

“I’m just grateful, especially yesterday, to stand in solidarity with millions of Americans who are just really determined, even though they themselves are tired, to keep fighting,” Booker said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.