Cory Booker issues fiery call for ‘foot soldiers’ at Michigan Dem convention

Sen. Corey Booker, DN.J. In a high-energy, revival sermon-style speech at the Michigan Democratic Convention, he shouted and gestured, urging Democrats to be “foot soldiers for democracy” and warning that “darkness and wind” were sweeping the nation.

Booker was one of several out-of-state leaders to attend the Michigan Democratic Convention, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. All three have been presented as potential contenders for the 2028 presidential election.

Booker spoke for about 25 minutes and at several points pushed into the crowd, adopting a poetic rhythm and word choice.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our country is in a storm,” Booker said, concluding his speech. “It’s dark and windy. People are sad. What we need is not from above. We need foot soldiers of our democracy who are willing to stand up in times of trial.”

Leading Trump critic ‘hasn’t ruled out’ another presidential run before 2028 election

Booker then declared that it was time for Democrats to “redeem the American dream.”

Read on the Fox News app

“Will you stand up for our democracy? Will you stand up to vote? Will you stand up for our children? Will you stand up for our elders?” Booker said. “And will you stand together, united, strong — be the hope people need. We are Democrats. It’s time for a new deal. It’s time to free the American dream.”

Booker, an unsuccessful candidate for president in 2020, used the speech as an opportunity to introduce himself to Michigan voters, sharing his career in politics and his family ties to the Great Lakes state.

Cory Booker admits Democrats ‘failed my generation’ in scathing assessment of his own party

At one point, he expressed his frustration with voters who didn’t vote for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton or Vice President Kamala Harris because they disagreed with “ten percent of his ideas.”

“Well, you may disagree with him on 10% of his ideas, but you let somebody into office that you disagree with on everything,” Booker said. “You put someone in office who would lock out our children. You put someone in office who would take away our health care. You put someone in office who would take away workers’ rights. You put someone in office who would get rid of the Department of Education.”

He then suggested that Michigan’s Democratic voters turn the Michigan hand — a reference to the state’s size — into a “Michigan fist.”

Cory Booker confronts old clip of himself saying he loves Donald Trump

“I don’t want a Michigan hand after your August primary, I want a Michigan fist,” Booker shouted. “I want you all to unite. I want you to punch a hole in the wall of resistance. I want you to grab a sledgehammer and knock some stuff over. I want you to reach up and grab somebody and throw him off the couch and take him to the field. We’ve got points to put on the board. I want Michigan fist unity.”

However, former MSNBC commentator Medhi Hassan took issue with Booker’s remarks about Democratic voters not voting for Harris in 2024. Hassan said Booker’s character blames voters for the Democratic loss rather than the party platform.

Click here to download the Fox News app

“I’m trying to tell people who won’t vote Dem in 2024 to ‘teach the Democrats a lesson’ that unfortunately the Democrats will never learn that lesson,” Hassan said, sharing a video of Booker speaking at X. “Here’s Booker attacking and mocking people who didn’t appear to vote Dem. It’s always the voters’ fault, not the Dems or their candidates.”

Other critics reveled in Booker’s powerful rendition.

“Calm down, Spartacus,” wrote America First Works, a nonprofit group and the advocacy arm of the America First Policy Institute.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Booker for comment.

Original article source: WATCH: Cory Booker Fires Call for ‘Foot Soldiers’ at Michigan Dem Convention