Politics

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Code Pink protesters bring their anti-war message to the Capitol before Wednesday's House hearing on President Obama's request for military intervention in Syria. (Associated Press)

D.C. Council member Tommy Wells, Ward 6 Democrat and a candidate for mayor, wouldn't wade into personnel decisions involving the demotion of fire department Deputy Chief John Donnelly, though he praised his work at the Frager's Hardware fire. (The Washington Times)

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Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times "Every member of [the fire department] is held to a standard of performance, and those standards are universal," says Paul Quander, the District's deputy mayor for public safety and justice.

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Terry McAuliffe has made a point that Republican Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II's comments about the lesbian and gay community are inimical to economic growth. The numbers, however, say Virginia has done well in the past four years under GOP leadership. (Associated Press)

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Iranian President Hasan Rouhani: "Any adventurism in the region will pose irreparable dangers to its stability and the world and will merely lead to the spread of extremism and terrorism in the region."

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During his 13-hour filibuster in March to protest U.S. drone policy, Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, snacked on candy at his desk. Senate curators were called quickly afterward to clean up any messes. (Associated Press)

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The candy desk, which consistently needs the most maintenance, stands in the back row on the Republican side, close to the most heavily used entrance to the Senate chamber. (senate.gov PHOTOGRAPHS)

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Some desks are considered such historical treasures that the Senate has passed legislation officially assigning them: The "Clay desk" goes to the senior senator from Kentucky.

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** FILE ** Rep. Edward R. Royce, California Republican and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

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Secretary of State John F. Kerry confers with U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford on Capitol Hill on Wednesday during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on President Obama's request for congressional authorization for military intervention in Syria. The assault would be a response to a chemical weapons attack in the Syrian civil war. (Associated Press)

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"The international community's credibility is on the line" with Syria, President Obama says during a news conference in Stockholm on Wednesday, a day before traveling to Russia for a Group of 20 summit. (Associated Press)

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Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has signed into law every measure sent to him by the Democrat-controlled legislature, including the Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act, passed with no Republican votes. The act allows same-day voter registration and makes mail-in voting the norm. Critics of the law fear it will turn the two recall elections Tuesday into a statewide free-for-all. (Associated Press)

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** FILE ** Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, front left, stands to speak to the assembled parliament during a debate on Syria, in Britain's parliament, London, Thursday Aug. 29, 2013. (AP Photo / PA)

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Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., reacts after the committee voted to accept his amendment as they consider the authorization for use of military force in Syria during a business meeting, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)