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Allen's 'Macaca' Gaffe, and Politicians' Errors

All politicians say things they regret, but some say things they really regret: ill-advised remarks that change the trajectory of their careers in an instant. The most recent example is Virginia Sen. George Allen, who has dropped off most short lists for president in 2008 after calling a dark-skinned man in his audience "macaca."

We look at Allen's attempts at recovery and recall some famous gaffes of campaigns past.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

As NPR's senior national correspondent, Linda Wertheimer travels the country and the globe for NPR News, bringing her unique insights and wealth of experience to bear on the day's top news stories.