Before Senate debate began on the Iran nuclear deal Wednesday, Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell asked his colleagues to "reflect upon the gravity" of the moment.
"(These threats) carry the potential to touch every American and future generations," the Kentucky Republican said. "The American people deserve our deliberate and considered responses. They deserve a Senate that can rise to the moment. Tired talking points won't get us there."
But no one told that to the crowd gathering outside.
More than 1,000 protesters camped out on the Capitol lawn Wednesday afternoon for a "Stop the Iran Deal" rally that was heavy on military references and rhetoric. It was part presidential stump speech, part anti-government protest and largely disconnected from the political realities inside the legislative halls just a few yards away.
Nearly every speaker — a list that included elected officials, conservative talk-show hosts and a "Duck Dynasty" cast member — accused Democrats of having "blood on their hands" and President Obama of strengthening Iran, rather than America.
Congress has until Sept. 17 to vote down the deal, but the Democratic support already pledged makes such a move unlikely to overcome procedural hurdles. So far, 42 Senate Democrats have publicly backed the sanctions-relief measure, more than enough to block a disapproval resolution moving through that chamber.
Tea party supporters in the House are pushing leaders in that chamber to delay all votes, arguing that the deadline is invalid because the White House has not made available some details of the deal between inspectors and Iranian officials.
Administration officials have dismissed those concerns, and argued that the internationally brokered deal represents the best chance to keep Iran's nuclear ambitions in check.
White House experts have predicted that without a deal, Iran's hard-line regime could have a nuclear weapon within months, but would not be able to advance such work for at least 10 years under this plan.
At the rally, representatives from the group Veterans Against the Deal called any negotiations with Iran an insult to the military, alluding to U.S. service member deaths attributed to Iranian-backed insurgents during the Iraq War.
"We have Americans that lost their lives in Iraq, and we have Americans who are still in harm's way in Afghanistan because Iran continues to fund the Taliban," said Michael Pregent, executive director of Veterans Against the Deal. "We don't believe any deal with Iran is a safe deal."
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump called the deal "incompetently negotiated," drawing laughs and cheers from the crowd. Fellow candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Obama is handing financial rewards to "men who murdered American troops."
But the display appeared more focused on attacking Senate Democrats who support the measure than on swaying their votes, with their every mention raising shouts of "traitors" from several crowd members. One protester carried a "We need a regime change" sign.
The crowd also carried campaign signs for Trump and Cruz, and the event fit nicely into their respective anti-establishment presidential platforms. After their speeches, Trump toured the Capitol with several lawmakers while Cruz returned to the Senate floor for additional, calmer debate on the issue.
Both chambers are expected to focus on the topic for the remainder of the week. Meanwhile, White House supporters already are pushing the idea of a done deal, and what comes next after the opposition bids fail.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
