“Follow me around. I don’t care. I’m serious. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’d be very bored.”

Former Colorado senator Gary Hart, to the New York Times, on allegations of infidelity in his marriage. Unfortunately, the Miami Herald had already been tailing Hart and had pictures of him with a woman other than his wife. The Miami Herald story broke the same day as the Times article. A week later, Hart pulled out of the Democratic presidential race.

For more lessons on what not to say, pick up a copy of A Slip of the Tongue: Offhand Remarks that Derailed High-Powered Careers by Joel Fram and Sandra Salmans ($9, Running Press).