When Cory Booker makes history today as the first sitting senator to testify against a fellow senator nominated to a White House cabinet position, it would be wise to keep in mind his record of weaving fictional tales to serve his political goals.
Throughout his career, the New Jersey Democrat has displayed an extraordinary talent for urban story-telling, manifest in a Jimmy Breslin-like Newark drug pusher character named “T-Bone,” who Booker would often refer to in his speeches and campaign events. “T-Bone” was a compelling figure who represented the dangers of the mean, decaying urban streets Booker managed as mayor of Newark while at the same time standing for the hope and humanity only a transcendent leader like Booker could bring to New Jersey and the country at large.
“T-Bone” was too good to be true. And, as Eliana Johnson uncovered at National Review in 2013, he was completely fictional:
Rice went on to tell Johnson that Booker told these stories about “T-Bone” to serve a political end with a particular audience. “Upper-middle-class white people love to hear these stories, you know, somebody who cares. So Cory Booker gave it to them and is still giving it to them,” Rice said. That “upper-middle class white” audience is just who Booker was speaking to Monday night on the very white upper-middle-class” Chris Hayes’ All In program on MSNBC. Booker bragged about the fact that he was breaking over 230 years of Senate presedence to testify against his colleague:
The fact that his office sought out the senate historian to confirm “T-Bone’s buddy” was making history gives a little insight into the weighty historical burden the Garden State’s junior senator is carrying by denouncing his colleague.
Which makes Booker’s past praise of Senator Sessions all the more puzzling.
Less than one year ago, Booker gushed that he was “blessed and honored” to work with Sessions. While receiving an award for crafting legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights leaders:
Eleven months later, what did Sessions do to earn the dubious distinction of being the first U.S. senator to be denounced in sworn testimony by a colleague during a confirmation hearing? According to Roll Call, Booker has always had misgivings about the Alabama senator:
It’s all quite confusing. Booker was “blessed and honored” to craft civil rights legislation with Sessions last year but now will break hundreds of years of Senate comity and decorum by testifying against Sessions because of his “decades-long record.”
Perhaps Booker is once again telling stories “upper-middle-class white people like to hear.” After all, the newly appointed deputy minority whip has to keep Chuck Schumer, Patty Murray, and Elizabeth Warren happy. And you don’t get more “upper-middle-class white” than those three.
