Hawaii Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz (who is pictured at far left) joined their Democratic colleagues on the steps of the Capitol today to show unity on the ninth day of the government shutdown.

The message to House Republicans from Majority Leader Harry Reid was this: “Open the government. Pay our bills. And let’s negotiate.”

Just as Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia began to speak, however, a nearby crowd of furloughed D.C. workers and their supporters began chanting “Free D.C. budget!” The protesters carried signs saying things like “Stop Arguing” and “Stop Playing With People’s Lives.”

It was peaceful, though Capitol police were in a mildly agitated state. At one point, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray actually walked in to the press conference unannounced. POLITICO reports that Reid told Gray, “I’m on your side. Don’t screw it up.”

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia acknowledged the crowd, saying, “We hear appropriate anger from people here in D.C.”

The senators then went to the Senate floor for a quorum call and other matters, but there was no indication that a deal with the GOP was imminent, either over the shutdown or raising the debt ceiling.

Photo: Senate Democrats on the Capitol steps. (Civil Beat)

—Chad Blair