Cory Booker’s emotional defense of Ketanji Brown Jackson brought the Supreme Court nominee to tears

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) delivered an emotional and very personal defense of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson that brought the Supreme Court nominee to tears Wednesday during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

”You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American,” Booker told Jackson, denouncing Republican suggestions that the judge — who will become the first Black woman on the nation’s highest court if her confirmation is confirmed by the Senate — has been soft on crime.

Booker, who touched on how he was the fourth Black person to be elected to the Senate, defended Jackson’s qualifications, briefly but proudly retelling her life story and her achievements despite adversities that Black women face in America. He said it brought him joy to participate in her confirmation hearing.

The senator recounted how he went jogging Wednesday morning and was stopped by a Black woman who wanted to express how important it was for her to have Jackson as the nominee.

Then, as Jackson began to wipe away tears, Booker continued: “You got here how every Black woman in America has gotten anywhere has done, by being … like Ginger Rogers said, ‘I did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards in heels.’ So I’m just sitting here saying nobody’s stealing my joy. Nobody’s gonna make me angry.”

He later added, “I’m sorry, you’re a person that is so much more than your race and gender … I’m sorry, it’s hard for me not to look at you and not see my mom … I see my ancestors and yours.”

After the hearing, Booker hugged Jackson’s parents.