Comic-Con International: San Diego 2019 brought out all the usual suspects. But this year’s SDCC also managed to bring out the unlikeliest of characters, like Senator and presidential candidate Cory Booker. Yes, the presidential hopeful was on the scene and living his best Blerd life.

The politician, a self-proclaimed Blerd (Black nerd), was on the campaign trail in California and his duties lined-up perfectly with one of the biggest events San Diego’s ever seen. As you could imagine, Senator Booker’s presence at Con created quite a pandemonium as he checked out the different booths including a Star Trek installation.

BET Digital was able to catch up with Booker while he was on the move to find out how he plans to get his message to resonate with voters coast to coast and gain ground in California, a state with an early primary.

On the message he wants to convey Booker said, “Well, I think Americans are really frustrated. There are forces that seem to be tearing our country apart that people are beginning to feel are stronger than what bonds us together. We need to be a country that can have a revival of some degree and bring people together again. Not just to defeat Donald Trump but frankly to advance the cause of justice and opportunity.”

He continued, “We can’t have an economy that just works for the wealthiest. We have to have an economy that works for everybody. From education to living wages to job opportunities to retirement security.”

The senator also commented on the racist “send her back” chant inspired by Trump’s comments about the four congresswomen and what his message is to his fellow lawmakers, known now as “The Squad”.

“It’s ugly, vile, bigotry—plain and simple...We know this is consistent with what Donald Trump has been doing for so much of his career before he even took public office. The vile thing things he said about Ihan Omar, just like the vile lies he said about people in Jersey City, my community,” Booker said, making reference to the right-wing theory that his constituents stood on rooftops, cheering the fall of the World Trade Center towers.  

Booker continued, “This is a guy that uses fear mongering, demagoguery and putting people down that is unbecoming of that office but frankly is just not who we are as a country.”

And after answering our pressing questions regarding the presidential race, Booker was ready to get back to the SDCC action.

“The chance to come by here for a couple of hours is such a treat for me. I love Comic-Con. I’m a big Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Adventure fan since I was a little kid and it’s just great to be here with a lot of other like-minded folks.”

Oh, and if you’re wondering why the senator’s girlfriend and comic lover, Rosario Dawson was nowhere to be found at Con since she’s part of the Marvel Universe (Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Daredevil) and a regular at these events, well he explained that she was off to Puerto Rico to do relief work.

“Before I was dating Rosario Dawson I watched her a lot in the Marvel Netflix shows. So everything from Luke Cage to Daredevil and we were talking—unfortunately, well fortunately she’s going to Puerto Rico which I think is really important right now—but we talked about going to Comic-Con together. We’re both really big nerds. We’re both big Star Trek fans. I love that she and I have that bond.”

What a real-life super couple they are, no?

For more Comic-Con International: San Diego see BET Digital chop it up with actress Danai Gurira who was doing promo for ‘Avengers: Endgame’.