Rand Paul Ends Nearly 13-Hour Filibuster

He needed to use the bathroom.

WASHINGTON — In the end, it wasn't fatigue or a lack of things to say that ended Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's nearly 13-hour long talking filibuster of Jon Brennan's nomination as CIA director. It was the need to use the bathroom after not getting a single chance to do so throughout the entire day.

"I would go for another 12 hours to try to break Strom Thurmond's record but I've discovered that there are some limits to filibustering and I'm going to have to go take care of one of those in a few minutes here," Paul said, as those on the floor laughed. Thurmond's record was a 24-hour filibuster in 1957; he was opposing the Civil Rights Act.

Asked earlier in the night how Paul was dealing with the bathroom situation — he wasn't allowed to leave where he stood otherwise he would be yielding the floor — his press secretary Moira Bagley said she had "no idea." The Washington Examiner's Tim Carney later reported that Paul simply "held it" for the entire 13 hours.

"My legs hurt, my feet hurt, everything hurts right now," Paul said following the filibuster.

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