Earlier in the day, Thurmond spent an extended period of time in the steamroom in the Senate Spa so that he would absorb any water he drank later and wouldn't have to leave the floor to go to the bathroom. His wife Jean brought him a sirloin steak and a piece of bread wrapped in tinfoil to his office for dinner. She stayed in the family gallery throughout the night.

Thurmond loaded up on malted milk tablets and throat lozenges before leaving his office.

After Thurmond began, he read aloud the election statutes of every single state. This would take until 2 a.m. on the 29th, including an interruption at 1:30 a.m. by Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona who inserted some material into the record.

Thurmond then discussed the right to jury trials in contempt cases and read and discussed an opinion written by President and Chief Justice Taft. Dent and other staff members kept trying to get Thurmond to end the filibuster overnight out of concern for the Senator's health.

By 6:30 a.m. when House Republican Leader Knowland came to the floor to indicate that the House would not adjourn without passing a civil rights bill, Thurmond's voice was a whisper. Later that morning, he had regained his voice and re-read a statement urging that the bill be sent back to committee.

Senator Douglas of Illinois brought Thurmond a pitcher of orange juice at 9 a.m. and Thurmond drank a glass of it before Dent could take the pitcher away and put it out of reach.