WASHINGTON - Sen. Cory Booker cut through a tense third day of hearings on the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on Wednesday with a speech on racial progress that drew tears from the nominee and held the rapt attention of colleagues.Booker, a Black Democrat from New Jersey, said he could no longer hold back his emotion over how Jackson has conducted herself in the face of combative questioning about her handling of child pornography cases, her representation of accused terrorists and her views on anti-racism teaching in schools."You faced insults here that were shocking to me," Booker said, speaking directly to Jackson, who is nominated to become the first Black woman on the high court."Nobody’s taking this away from me," Booker continued, choking up as he spoke.
Republicans are "gonna accuse you of this and that. But don’t worry, my sister. Don’t worry. God has got you. And how do I know that?
Because you’re here, and I know what it’s taken for you to sit in that seat."Jackson, who was sitting silently with her hands clasped, unlocked her fingers to grab a tissue and wiped tears streaming down her cheeks.
It was the first time in nearly two dozen hours of questioning from senators that she had showed that much emotion.While listening to U.S.