Bernie Sanders Continues Congressional Filibuster with Arianna Huffington Book

U.S. Senator and author Bernie Sanders (Vermont, I) mounted a classic filibuster at 10:30 a.m. today, proclaiming that he would speak “as long as possible” to protest the tax deal negotiated between Republicans in Congress and Barack Obama‘s administration. He was still speaking as of this 5:07 p.m. EST writing.

In 1998, Verso published his book, Outsider in the House. The memoir outlined Sanders’ efforts to win reelection in 1996. Visit his official page to watch a live-stream of his speech. UPDATE: Former GalleyCat editor Ron Hogan notes that Sanders is reading from one particular book: “@SenatorSanders just added Arianna Huffington’s THIRD WORLD AMERICA to #fridayreads!”

Here’s an excerpt from his speech: “I think we can do better, and I am here today to take a strong stand against this bill, and I intend to tell my colleagues and the nation exactly why I am in opposition to this bill.  You can call what I am doing today whatever you want, you it call it a filibuster, you can call it a very long speech.  I’m not here to set any great records or to make a spectacle. I am simply here today to take as long as I can to explain to the American people the fact that we have got to do a lot better than this agreement provides.”

Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews.