Has Cory Booker Heard Himself Talk?

Cory Booker, New Jersey’s least corrupt senator, has a penchant for faux-deep Instagram bullshit, but in the grand scheme of things, that’s a fairly acceptable downside considering the horrible things U.S. senators usually partake in. But on Wednesday night, Booker—who once told a group of college students “You’ve got to be one that, wherever you are, like a flower, you’ve got to blossom where you’re planted”—outdid himself.

On Wednesday night, the Hill reports, Booker hosted a conversation between himself, activist DeRay Mckesson, and poet Cleo Wade, who both released books this year. I have absolutely no idea how he came up with some of these quotes. For instance:

“The poverty that I’m worried about is the poverty of empathy, the poverty of compassion, and the poverty of action.”

How about…the poverty of poverty? Being broke? People not having any money? That’s a pretty substantial problem, as Booker is well aware. I’d argue it’s a bigger and more immediate problem than the “poverty of compassion.”

According to the Hill, Booker also talked about what he thought was the “biggest evil” facing the country right now. It wasn’t climate change, or the growing fascist threat, or the erosion of democracy, or the war on abortion. No, it was “lack of engagement.”

Of course citizen engagement is a big issue, but it’s one that can be fixed through legislation and other efforts aimed at expanding access to democracy. It’s also a curious time to single this out as the worst thing about the country right now; last month saw the highest turnout for a midterm election in over a century.

There was also this:

Booker, a potential 2020 presidential contender, said he avoids focusing too much on President Trump “because what you give energy to, you give power to.”

He said he does “get angry” with the state of the country but tries “to ignite a more radical love in this country.”

“More action of love will blot out that which is the darkness or the hate,” Booker said.

The fuck does any of this mean!!!

Yes, everyone is miserable as hell right now. But personally, I don’t want or need elected officials to give me spiritual or therapist solutions to material political problems. Cory Booker, please, I’m begging you: Stop it.