When they ‘pivot’

I was listening to Terry Gross’ “Fresh Air” interview with U.S. Sen. Al Franken on a podcast yesterday when I heard the word that describes one of my pet peeves: “pivot.” That’s the tactic used by politicians for answering a direct question with a response that’s totally off topic. You ask one of the Idaho delegation about the Paris Climate Accord, and he responds by talking about the national debt. Franken explained that the pivot is strategic. It allows a politican to talk about his or her agenda while side-stepping a tough question.

Question: Do you notice when a politician pivots?