We are an absolutely soul-deadening 641 days away from the 2020 election but I've already made my final decision. No need for debates, no need for town halls, no need for a primary. I am hereby casting my vote for Cory Booker's instantly iconic Aunt Alma. Please consider this an absentee ballot. Print it out and take it to a notary and then do whatever happens after you take something to a notary. This thing is all wrapped up. Senator Booker declared his candidacy for president this morning, widening the field of hopefuls to roughly 12,000 from both parties plus the faint whiff of over-roasted coffee beans that is Howard Schultz's campaign. The Senator from New Jersey chose to make his announcement on The View, where he was joined by his mother, Carolyn, and his brother, Cary, who could totally sub in for him in a Dave situation. Carolyn Booker (l) and Cary Booker in the audience of The View. Lorenzo Bevilaqua Getty Images However, the real show was back in Iowa where many members of Booker's extended family gathered to watch the broadcast and the world got its first glimpse of its future leader, Aunt Alma Morris, tiara-wearing queen. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. . @CoryBooker’s family here in Des Moines watching the launch video for the first time. Big round of applause! Much love from Iowa #Cory2020 pic.twitter.com/mkeNEPdCwI — Tess Seger (@tess_seger) February 1, 2019 Let's just do a quick rundown of what I love about this: Everything. She is wearing a tiara! She is wearing a tiara and looking epically unbothered! She's like, "Of course I'm wearing a tiara. It's a Friday, Lemon; what am I, a peasant?" She's wearing the kind of colorful sweater that comes from the Favorite Aunt section at Macy's. She is sitting so much farther from the TV than I would ever be able to despite the fact that she is 99-years-old. She is 99-years-old! A TIARA! My life! It has been gotten! Twitter I need this on a campaign button yesterday! Look, I'm all about democracy and having a right to vote and whatnot, but if Aunt Alma throws her tiara in the ring I'm ready to bring on the monarchy with a quickness. The Crown Season 7 looks so lit. Catch me outside whistling "God Save the Queen" while doing the Cha-Cha Slide. I'm all in. Here's live footage of me talking about Aunt Alma: YouTube I also have so many questions. Is this an everyday tiara or just a special occasions tiara? Does she have a whole closet full of tiaras of various sizes, shapes, and colors to match her mood and the formality of the affair? Has anyone done a Cribs-style interview with her where she tells interesting stories about her various headpieces and shows you her trophy room? It is safe to assume she has a trophy room, correct? If she doesn't have a trophy room full of trophies can we get some damn trophies out to Des Moines, stat? This woman doesn't have all day to sit around and wait for you to acknowledge her greatness, America! I know next to nothing about Aunt Alma and yet I am 100% sure she could handily beat Donald Trump and also figure out how to give everyone free healthcare. Aunt Alma believes in a four-day work week and making Instagram chronological again, too; I just know it! Aunt Alma politely declines to host the Oscars but she has made her predictions and they are correct. Aunt Alma can hit all the notes in "Shallow"! While sitting down! Like Whitney Houston in the video for "I Will Always Love You"! Remarkable! I'm very glad that Cory Booker's tiara-wearing, nearly-centenarian, instantly iconic aunt has come along to save us from the interminable slog of a fractious election season. Now we can all turn our energy to continuing to rehash 2016 for the rest of our lives. Alma 20-Forever! R. Eric Thomas R Eric Thomas is a Senior Staff Writer at ELLE.com, home of his daily humor column "Eric Reads the News," which skewers politics, pop culture, celebrity shade, and schadenfreude. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>Sen. Cory Booker officially joined the crowded field of Democratic presidential primary hopefuls Friday, the latest step in a near-decade-long journey toward an anticipated campaign to be the second African-American U.S. president. Booker's announcement arrived in a video outlining a theme of unity and togetherness, describing an optimistic vision of what could be accomplished through "courage" and "collective action." "I believe that we can build a country where no one is forgotten, no one is left behind; where parents can put food on the table; where there are good-paying jobs with good benefits in every neighborhood; where our criminal justice system keeps us safe, instead of shuffling more children into cages and coffins; where we see the faces of our leaders on television and feel pride, not shame," said Booker, after describing his upbringing. "It is not a matter of 'can we,' it's a matter of 'do we have' the collective will, the American will? I believe we do," he said. "Together, we will channel our common pain back into our common purpose. Together, America, we will rise." I’m running for president. Join me on this journey. https://t.co/fEDqOVIfwh pic.twitter.com/h1FTPUYRzo — Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) February 1, 2019 In his first tv interview, on "The View" Friday, Booker further outlined his decision to run for president, explaining that he feels "Americans are losing faith in this country's ability to work for them" and that "people are feeling left out, left behind." "I think a lot of folks are beginning to feel that the forces that are tearing us apart in this country are stronger than the forces that tie us together. I don't believe that," Booker continued. "So, I'm running to restore our sense of common purpose, to focus on the common pain that we have all over this country." The senator went on to defend his optimistic outlook during an era of nearly unparalleled political division following President Donald Trump's election in 2016. "I'm proud of not only who I am and my conviction, but this is a time where too many people, I think, are trying to pit people against each other," he said. "Where the Democratic Party -- I don't want it to be defined by what we're against, but by what we're for. I don't want it to be defined by beating Republicans but by uniting Americans." On an interview on "ABC News Live," Senior Reporter Devin Dwyer noted Booker has made a point of saying he's the only senator who goes home to an inner-city neighborhood. "Do you think your peers are out of touch with the inner-city experience? Dwyer asked him. "I’m not saying that at all. But I’m the only one in this race who had to run and manage thousands of employees, a city in the middle of a recession, which was a depression for inner cities. We managed through crisis and we achieved things people said we couldn’t do," Booker answered. "I’ve stayed put in the neighborhood where I first got my start and will never forget the people that believed in me and gave me my first chance. I do live with a sense of urgency," he said. "I had a young man shot with an assault rifle on my block last year. I go to my bodega around the corner from me and see people who work full time jobs but still use food stamps. Every single day I live with that sense of urgency that we’ve got to solve these problems, and the knowledge that we can’t solve them divided." The launch of Booker's campaign on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month, appears not to be a coincidence, particularly after Sen. Kamala Harris' similar commencement of her presidential run on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In addition to Harris, D-Calif., Booker joins Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. -- with whom Booker is close personal friends -- as members of the Senate seeking the Democratic nomination. At least five other Democrats have also declared. Though he has visited several early-voting states in recent months, including a trip less than two weeks ago to South Carolina for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Booker continued to publicly downplay the assumption he'd arrived at a final decision. During a trip to Georgia in January, former President Jimmy Carter told Booker he hoped he runs for president, a moment captured by the senator on his Instagram story, in which he thanked Carter and said, "You encouraging me means more to me than you can imagine." Booker's announcement comes after more than five years in the Senate, which followed seven as mayor of Newark, New Jersey, where he first vaulted to national attention for his youth and hands-on approach in attempting to turn around the crime- and poverty-plagued city. Prior to Barack Obama's election in 2008, some in the Garden State familiar with the ambitious mayor's work, which included frequent ride-alongs with the city's law enforcement and, later, a high-profile education partnership with Facebook, openly mused about Booker's becoming the country's first black president. On "The View," Booker discussed the bipartisan effort required to tackle issues such as affordable housing, describing how he found common ground even when working alongside Republican state leaders. "I had to deal with people with very strong beliefs and faiths but when we backed up and said, 'Don't you believe in this city we shouldn't gentrify, that we should focus on doubling the production of affordable housing, in a housing recession?' We did it because we excited people's imagination and we found a way." he said. Since arriving in Washington, Booker has attracted attention for his leadership during the bipartisan effort to pass criminal justice reform and for his pointed questioning during Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. That includes what he described as his "Spartacus moment" during Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing last fall. Later mocked by Republicans for grandstanding, the senator exposed himself to punishment by releasing confidential documents. On "The View," Booker called it one of his "prouder moments." "That's the problem with our culture," he said. "We have people getting more and more ratings by tearing down other people. That's now how I'm going to run this campaign … I'm in this race to try to build our nation up." Booker's campaign officially will begin next weekend with stops in Iowa Feb. 8-9, followed by a visit to South Carolina on Feb. 10-11 and a trip to New Hampshire over President's Day weekend, according to a campaign aide. Booker will reject donations from corporate political action committees, his campaign said, similar to Gillibrand, Harris, Warren, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, and former Rep. John Delaney. This report was featured in the Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, episode of ABC News' daily news podcast, "Start Here." "Start Here" is the flagship daily news podcast from ABC News -- a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, or the ABC News app. On Amazon Echo, ask Alexa to "Play 'Start Here'" or add the "Start Here" skill to your Flash Briefing. Follow @StartHereABC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for exclusive content, show updates and more. I’m running for president. Join me on this journey. https://t.co/fEDqOVIfwh pic.twitter.com/h1FTPUYRzo — Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) February 1, 2019 In his first tv interview, on "The View" Friday, Booker further outlined his decision to run for president, explaining that he feels "Americans are losing faith in this country's ability to work for them" and that "people are feeling left out, left behind." "I think a lot of folks are beginning to feel that the forces that are tearing us apart in this country are stronger than the forces that tie us together. I don't believe that," Booker continued. "So, I'm running to restore our sense of common purpose, to focus on the common pain that we have all over this country." The senator went on to defend his optimistic outlook during an era of nearly unparalleled political division following President Donald Trump's election in 2016. "I'm proud of not only who I am and my conviction, but this is a time where too many people, I think, are trying to pit people against each other," he said. "Where the Democratic Party -- I don't want it to be defined by what we're against, but by what we're for. I don't want it to be defined by beating Republicans but by uniting Americans." On an interview on "ABC News Live," Senior Reporter Devin Dwyer noted Booker has made a point of saying he's the only senator who goes home to an inner-city neighborhood. "Do you think your peers are out of touch with the inner-city experience? Dwyer asked him. "I’m not saying that at all. But I’m the only one in this race who had to run and manage thousands of employees, a city in the middle of a recession, which was a depression for inner cities. We managed through crisis and we achieved things people said we couldn’t do," Booker answered. "I’ve stayed put in the neighborhood where I first got my start and will never forget the people that believed in me and gave me my first chance. I do live with a sense of urgency," he said. "I had a young man shot with an assault rifle on my block last year. I go to my bodega around the corner from me and see people who work full time jobs but still use food stamps. Every single day I live with that sense of urgency that we’ve got to solve these problems, and the knowledge that we can’t solve them divided." The launch of Booker's campaign on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month, appears not to be a coincidence, particularly after Sen. Kamala Harris' similar commencement of her presidential run on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In addition to Harris, D-Calif., Booker joins Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. -- with whom Booker is close personal friends -- as members of the Senate seeking the Democratic nomination. At least five other Democrats have also declared. Though he has visited several early-voting states in recent months, including a trip less than two weeks ago to South Carolina for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Booker continued to publicly downplay the assumption he'd arrived at a final decision. During a trip to Georgia in January, former President Jimmy Carter told Booker he hoped he runs for president, a moment captured by the senator on his Instagram story, in which he thanked Carter and said, "You encouraging me means more to me than you can imagine." Booker's announcement comes after more than five years in the Senate, which followed seven as mayor of Newark, New Jersey, where he first vaulted to national attention for his youth and hands-on approach in attempting to turn around the crime- and poverty-plagued city. Prior to Barack Obama's election in 2008, some in the Garden State familiar with the ambitious mayor's work, which included frequent ride-alongs with the city's law enforcement and, later, a high-profile education partnership with Facebook, openly mused about Booker's becoming the country's first black president. On "The View," Booker discussed the bipartisan effort required to tackle issues such as affordable housing, describing how he found common ground even when working alongside Republican state leaders. "I had to deal with people with very strong beliefs and faiths but when we backed up and said, 'Don't you believe in this city we shouldn't gentrify, that we should focus on doubling the production of affordable housing, in a housing recession?' We did it because we excited people's imagination and we found a way." he said. Since arriving in Washington, Booker has attracted attention for his leadership during the bipartisan effort to pass criminal justice reform and for his pointed questioning during Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. That includes what he described as his "Spartacus moment" during Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing last fall. Later mocked by Republicans for grandstanding, the senator exposed himself to punishment by releasing confidential documents. On "The View," Booker called it one of his "prouder moments."<doc-sep>
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) gently shamed Meghan McCain after "The View" co-host tried to belittle him with the "Spartacus" nickname that remains popular in conservative media. The New Jersey Democrat sat down for an interview Friday, hours after announcing his candidacy for U.S. president, and McCain said his congressional record and policy proposals were overshadowed in her mind by a moment during the confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh. "I hear what you're saying, and it sounds great," McCain said. "I understand what you're saying about your record, but I do think there's something to be said, when I think of you now, I think of, 'I am Spartacus,' and that I don't know is the best reflection of you." Booker announced he was releasing "committee confidential" records on Kavanaugh during the hearing in September, saying that would be the closest he would get to an "I am Spartacus" moment. The records, however, had already been approved for release that morning, and Republicans have criticized and mocked Booker for "grandstanding" -- and the senator told McCain he had no regrets for his actions that day. "I hope you go back and watch the whole clip, because even that was twisted," Booker said. "What we do in this culture right now, it's a tear-down culture. The truth doesn't really even matter. I hope you'll go back and watch the Kavanaugh hearings -- that was one of my prouder moments, sticking up for people." "I was threatened to be thrown out of the Senate, I told the senator that did that, 'Bring it,' and another senator stood up and said, 'If you're going to throw Cory Booker out, throw me into the pit, as well.' That senator, I looked at them and said, 'Wow, that's like an I am Spartacus moment -- he stepped forward to (say) if anything happens to Cory (it) happens to me.'" Booker then shamed McCain for engaging in cheap shots. "The problem with our culture, these snippets, we have people getting more and more ratings by tearing down other people," he said. "If you're tired of that bitterness, that trash talking, that trolling, that politics that is a race to the bottom in our country, then don't support me, because I'm not in this race to tear people down. I'm in this race try to build our nation up."