But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial.

NPR: Obama And The Politics Of Being Biracial

Because of the public firestorm, many communities don't even want to talk about what happened in Cambridge.

NPR: Police Split On What To Learn From Gates Case

When a politician is in the middle of a personal firestorm it is inevitable that they can't think clearly.

BBC: Herman Cain: When in trouble, switch stories