It's Good To Talk

A special mention and a glass of lemonade to State Senator Wendy Davis who filibustered a bill to restrict abortion rights in Texas by talking for over 11 hours, therefore preventing the time for the bill to be passed.
The bill would ban abortion at 20 weeks gestation, place limits on abortion-inducing drugs and introduce other restrictions that advocates say would close 37 of the 42 clinics that provide abortions in the state.
She had initially intended to speak for 13 hours but with less than two hours to go before the midnight deadline, she was finally silenced when Republicans silenced her on a three strikes and you're out rule, claiming she had violated regulations by straying off-topic three times.
To speak for 11 hours with no sitting, food or water or any leaning on a desk or even toilet breaks is some achievement although she did come prepared by wearing sensible footwear, a pair of pink trainers.
Falling short of the required time span, the baton was picked up by hundreds of protesters who cheered and jeered and successfully stalled the bill.
The record for the longest filibuster goes to U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes.
How risking laryngitis and a burst bladder became a genuine, official political technique is a bit of a strange one though.