What Can’t Cory Booker Do?

Rescue woman from burning house. Check. Seriously, what’s next for the mayor of Newark, New Jersey? But while pundits think about what Booker will do next, let’s take a moment to enjoy this feel good story.

Booker arrived home to his apartment on Hawthorne Avenue in Newark’s South Ward to find his security officer Det. Alex Rodriguez knocking on the door of the building next door. Two women came to the door and Rodriguez informed them the second floor was on fire. After getting the two women out he went upstairs to find a man in the kitchen.

The man was evacuated, but the family told Booker and his security detail that their daughter, Zina Hodge, was still upstairs.

That’s when Booker sprang into action.

Booker, Rodriguez and his another security officer, Santos Duran, went upstairs. Seeing the flames, the officers told Booker he couldn’t go in.

“It wasn’t easy,” Rodriguez said. “I was trying to hold his belt, but he gave me an order.”

Booker crossed the kitchen engulfed in flames and said it was then he thought he was done for.

“Just I was looking down, finding somewhere to breathe, I heard her,” Booker said.

Director Ziyad said Booker then picked up the woman and carried her on his shoulder as burning embers fell from the ceiling, burning the woman’s back and the mayor’s hand.