ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - In his record-setting speech on the Senate floor Tuesday, Sen. Cory Booker recalled the first time he met the late former President Jimmy Carter.

“Brother Warnock, you’re going to love this one,” Booker said to Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock before he recounted meeting the late president.

Booker recollected being with the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis while meeting Carter.

Booker said at the time, Carter had fallen ill but had gotten better and was teaching Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church, which the former president and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter attended.

“I thought, ‘This man is in his 90s. I need to go to Sunday school,‘” Booker said.

Because of the popular demand to attend one of Carter’s Sunday school services, Booker said he called Lewis, who was a longtime friend and colleague of Carter’s.

“So, I have the singular greatest road trip. I fly into Atlanta. We get into a car, and we drive all those hours to Plains, Georgia,” Booker said, adding people were waiting outside but he and Lewis were able to attend.

While sitting in the front row, Booker recalled meeting the Carters before the service started.

“Jimmy Carter walks over to me and says, ”I hear you’re thinking about running for president of the United States.’ And he does something incredible. He says, ‘I think you should run, but only if you run from here,‘" Booker said, recalling Carter pointing to his heart.

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