Cory Brooker’s Inspiring Speech Brings Ketanji Brown Jackson to Tears at her Supreme Court Hearing

Judge Jackson was not the only one to shed a tear at yesterday’s confirmation hearing after Cory Booker’s empassioned speech. “I’m just sitting here saying, ‘Nobody’s going to steal my joy. Nobody’s going to make me angry,” Booker says to Jackson after she has been relentlessly questioned for over 20 hours in the last 3 days. “You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American.”

After being targeted by republicans with harsh rhetorical questioning, Jackson has stayed strong by giving solid answers and deflecting republican attempts to stray away from the matter at hand. Some republicans have even interrupted her while she was answering and raised their voices at her for her responses. Booker said that a black woman receiving this type of questioning did not come as a shock to him, but he has yet to meet a Black woman this week who has not told him that they identify with her struggle. He says, “You got here how every Black woman in America who's gotten anywhere has done, by being like Ginger Rogers: 'I did everything Fred Astaire did but backward, in heels,'"

Many are going to social media to support Jackson, who will probably win the supreme court nomination with a near party-line vote. She is counting on all the democrats to stick together and some Republicans to stand in support. Britney Packnett Cunningham, with her instagram @mspackyett, shares an inspiring caption: “Let it always be a reminder: Black woman’s humanity is not up for debate. It’s always there, whether you honor it or not.” 

Booker’s inspiring speech was a nice change from the negative, blameful environment. Hopefully many will see his attempt to flip the atmosphere of the room.