Two months after joining the 2020 race for the White House, New Jersey’s Democratic Sen. Cory Booker officially kicked off his campaign Saturday at a rally in Newark, and Twitter had a lot to say.
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The event was billed as a “Justice for All” two-week tour of cities that began in Newark where the senator served as mayor from 2006 until 2013, WNBC-TV said.
It was an opportunity to step onto the national stage and inject momentum into his campaign. Booker is one of 18 Democrats and an Independent (Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont) competing for president—a field that could grow and be shaken up if former Vice President Joe Biden enters the race.
Booker drew on themes from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.” He combined the idea of unity with policy goals that include closing the racial wealth gap and fixing the broken criminal justice system.
“Critics will tell us that a campaign powered by grace and love and a deep faith in each other” cannot prevail, Booker said. “But I say it’s the only way we win. The president wants a race to the gutter and to fight us in the gutter. To win, we have to fight from higher ground in order to bring this country to higher ground.”
The rally hit a bump in the road by protesters who waved Palestinian flags and used the senator’s slogan against him, Yahoo News reported.
“You say ‘Justice For All’ and he named, you know, clean water, housing, affordable health care, freedom but he doesn’t … talk about Palestine. They’re struggling just as much as us here — even more,” protester Wajeeh Abushawish told Yahoo.
About 10 protesters in three groups attended the rally but left after interrupting Booker’s speech. They were identified as Rutgers University students who are members of a group called Students for Justice in Palestine. They oppose the senators strong pro-Israel positions, including his rejection of legislation to pressure Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territory.
If campaign cash is an indication, Booker has an uphill climb against some of the other high-profile candidates in the field.
Booker raised more than $5 million in the two months since he announced his candidacy. Meanwhile, Sanders and Beto O’Rourke, a former Texas congressman, raised more in the first 24 hours of announcing their campaign than Booker raised in more than 60 days. After announcing their presidential bids, Sanders raised nearly $6 million and supporters contributed about $6.1 million to O’Rourke’s campaign.
Scroll down and take a look how Twitter reacted to Booker’s official campaign kickoff.
1.
Go Cory! Such an important voice in our nation, especially in this time of crisis. As a NJ native who attended law school at Rutgers in Newark and loves the State, I hope you continue to do great things for Newark, the State and the Nation!
— LaurasProminentPlay (@prominentplay) April 13, 2019
2.
Advice... TAKE THE GLOVES OFF
— John Potosky (@235john) April 14, 2019
3.
Have you noticed they all say the same thing
— Cheryl J.JustaThoughtfromMama (@Sugarmama49) April 13, 2019
4.
I would vote for him but I fear America won't.
— Patsy Newman (@tnwasper) April 13, 2019
5.
I don’t want a message of love and unity. I don’t hate anyone. I don’t need or want to hug it out. He needs to talk about the economy, healthcare...we can come together later
— Tori Griffin (@torigriffin) April 14, 2019
6.
Today, I disrupted @CoryBooker ‘s kick off campaign event because I found his silence on the crimes the apartheid state of Israel is committing on the Palestinians appalling . I went out because I believe “Justice for All” must include Palestine 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/qc5QkDTeR8
— 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@mhabehh) April 13, 2019
7.
Wait a minute. Cory Booker had Black ppl protesting the occupation of Palestine escorted from his weak ass, poorly attended campaign launch in Newark? Brick City? You throwing protestors out? Dude. Come on.
— Leslie Mac (@LeslieMac) April 13, 2019
8.
I walked thru...That crowd was very empty
— Iceberg Thick ❄️😎 (@NaimTheDream) April 14, 2019
9.
Well done, my friend, @CoryBooker! An absolutely incredible campaign kickoff! #Cory2020 pic.twitter.com/wlrxtCQ8HL
— Dawn Young-McDaniel ♿️ (@justdawn_) April 13, 2019
10.
If he is using Newark as a success story he has a very low bar for success. Definitely not a guy that should be president of the greatest country in the world.
— America First (@America63076014) April 14, 2019