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Images are everything: Our photographers on a momentous year

Political Theater, Episode 231

Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., puts on a mask that reads “dignity” before the start of a news conference with other House Republican members on immigration in Washington on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. The image says a lot about the year that was, and is one of CQ Roll Call's photos of the year.
Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., puts on a mask that reads “dignity” before the start of a news conference with other House Republican members on immigration in Washington on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. The image says a lot about the year that was, and is one of CQ Roll Call's photos of the year. (Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call file photo)
By Jason Dick, Tom Williams, Bill Clark and Evan Campbell
Posted December 15, 2021 at 7:00am

It has been, to put it mildly, a momentous year. After the instability of 2020, defined by the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and a presidential election, let’s be honest: Many of us breathed a sigh of relief. Then the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol happened. Then the virus surged again.

The country, and Capitol Hill, attempted to get back to normal, but it just didn’t happen. Chronicling these events is what journalists do. It’s our job. And at CQ Roll Call, we are extremely fortunate to have a long tradition of photojournalism that captures the moments that define politics, on a historic level and at a very human level. 

Bill Clark, Tom Williams and Caroline Brehman had quite a task in narrowing down their photos of the year, and it’s always great to have them on the Political Theater podcast to discuss how they work, what moments stay with them and their reflections on the images that defined 2021.

Show Notes:

Recent Stories

Women’s March holds a die-in outside the U.S. Supreme Court before oral arguments in Moyle v. United States on Wednesday. The case challenges a federal law that requires hospitals to perform an emergency abortion when needed to resolve a patient’s medical emergency.

Case highlights debate over ‘life of the mother’ exception

Health care workers hold signs outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday before oral arguments over a federal law that requires hospitals to perform an emergency abortion when needed to resolve a patient’s medical emergency.

Supreme Court split on Idaho abortion ban in emergency rooms

Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-N.J., stands near a picture of himself and his late father, former Rep. Donald M. Payne, in his Cannon House Office Building office in 2016.

Donald Payne Jr., who filled father’s seat in the House, dies at 65

President Joe Biden speaks after signing the foreign aid bill at the White House.

Biden signs foreign aid bill, says weapons to be sent to allies within hours

Luggage sits at baggage claim at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport in Glen Burnie, Md., on Dec. 28, 2022 after Southwest Airlines cancelled thousands of flights.

Airlines must report fees, issue prompt refunds, new rules say

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