Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker gave a fiery pitch of the 2012 Democratic Party Platform, which, for the first time in history includes marriage equality, in a non prime-time speech deserving of a prime time slot.
"Being asked to pay your fair share in taxes is not class warfare. It's patriotism," Booker exclaimed, in his biggest line of the night.
Added Booker:
"It is our fundamental national aspiration that no matter how you choose to pray or whom you choose to love…that if you are a citizen of the United States of America…that you should be able to find a job that pays the bills."
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP…
The Washington Post reports
A fall earlier in the day…left the mayor with a sprained ankle, but Booker walked to the podium with only a slight limp and delivered a fiery address. The crowd responded with chants of “Cory” after the speech, and some delegates were moved to tears.
Referring to “our president,” Booker asserted that President Barack Obama’s policies had helped strengthen small businesses and raise education standards. “Our president has made a profound difference for people and businesses in Newark and New Jersey and the nation as a whole,” he said.
Booker is the only New Jersey politician with a speaking role at the convention. The mayor co-chaired the national Democratic Party’s platform committee and has spoken enthusiastically about its support for gay marriage for the first time.
“We support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples,” states the 40-page document released Monday.
