Politics | Alex Farris Photo Blog

"The biggest problem with NATO is its existence and the idea that it's built on," Anna Sanne Göransson said. With the existence of such a large military alliance, "you have a hammer, [and] you see every problem as a nail."

An anti-capitalism protester passes out leaflets before the NATO protest march from Grant Park to McCormick Place, the meeting place for NATO leaders during the summit, on Sunday, May 20, 2012. The march of an estimated 5,000 people was led by Veterans for Peace and Afghans for Peace but encompassed anarchists, socialists, communists, Occupiers and environmentalists.

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I haven't been a part of any political coverage for an outlet this year. (There is an entry, though, featuring Rick Perry.) It's much different than 2010, when I was at Todd Young's headquarters for the IDS when the GOP candidate won the 9th district U.S. House seat from Democrat Baron Hill. As such, I have no photos of this year's Republican senatorial battle between six-term Richard Lugar and Tea Party-backed state treasurer Richard Mourdock. I certainly couldn't do any political coverage during my day job.

I do, however, have photos of Mourdock from an IU College Republicans event last January. He was the third invited speaker in the Indiana Memorial Union's Frangipani Room that night, and he introduced himself as the primary challenger that he turned out to be. I don't remember much about what Mourdock said that night, but I do remember being much more impressed with Tony Bennett, Indiana's superindendent of public instruction, who talked about working across the aisle on bipartisan education reform. I also remember, generally, that Mourdock's partisanship made me a bit chagrined. I guess I'm not alone.

Indiana state treasurer Richard Mourdock talks with IU College Republican's Justin Kingsolver before a College Republicans event Jan. 24, 2011, in the Indiana Memorial Union. Mourdock beat six-term Senator Richard Lugar in the GOP primary election May 8, 2012.

Rick Perry spoke at the top floor of the prestigious Columbia Club in Indianapolis today, the fourth G.O.P. candidate to visit here this year at the invitation of the Indiana Republican Party. I wasn't with any media outlet today, but I RSVP'd for the event because I figured it would be a good opportunity for some photos. Since I don't really mingle with political people, I knew hardly anyone in the crowd. I wasn't lonely, though, since AP photographer Michael Conroy and IDS reporter Charlie Scudder were there with their respective outlets.

As a side note, while trying to set up my camera on a remote, a woman asked me what media outlet I'm with. When I said I was just there for my photo blog, she asked if I was keeping a conservative blog. "No," I said, "it's decidedly apolitical." She didn't talk to me much after that. I wish I had a better way to say what this good photographer said.

Rick Perry speaks to Indiana Republican Party supporters Oct. 12, 2011, at the Columbia Club in Indianapolis.