Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was in the ninth hour of a grueling question session on Wednesday, defending his record over and over again under aggressive questions and interruptions from Republicans when Senator Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey, began to speak.
Mr. Booker didn’t start with a question. Instead, he urged Judge Jackson to sit back, praising her ability to withstand a series of attacks with “toughness and grace” and chided fellow Republicans for “seeking to exploit the complexities of the criminal justice system” as they repeatedly attacked her for how she led several child sexual abuse cases.
He then launched an emotional plea to return the attention of the hearings to the historical nature of her nomination, citing the nation’s history of civil rights advancement, her many judicial accomplishments, and his own emotions watching her nomination.
However, Mr. Booker, the only black senator on the 22-member Judiciary Committee, offered Judge Jackson a reprieve from a series of conservative attacks and supported her candidacy for the Supreme Court with enthusiasm and emotion.
“You are a person who is much more than your race and gender — you are a Christian, you are a mom, you are smart, you love books,” he said as Judge Jackson wiped away tears.
“I see my ancestors and yours,” he added.
He continued, “You deserve this place. You are worthy. You are a great American.”
Repeatedly declaring his joy at her nomination, Mr. Booker compared her to historical figures such as Harriet Tubman and called Judge Jackson “my harbinger of hope” that the United States could fulfill its promises of freedom and equality.
“This country is getting better and better and better,” he said. “When the last vote takes place and you rise to the highest court in the country, I will rejoice. And I’ll tell you right now, the greatest country in the world, the United States of America, will be a better place because of you.”
When Mr. Booker concluded, Judge Jackson said a quiet “thank you.”