PIVOT!!!!

Never Answer the Question Asked!

Calling all political coaches! Calling all political coaches! Barack Obama needs you. Now!!

I don't know how many people saw Stephanopolous' Sunday interview of Barack Obama, but I really hope that the undecided and tepid supporters were not among them. Wow, what a terrible interview. Obama waivered, stalled, stuttered, and made the ultimate political mistake by actually answering the questions asked.

Hasn't anyone told Senator Obama that you NEVER answer the question asked? Senator, please please please learn to PIVOT. If they ask you a pointed question about the success of the Surge, for instance, you don't talk about how it was a success but it wasn't a success and the subtle differences between what might be only a temporary peace versus what could be a long-term peace, or not. Kerry-esque answers will do you no good.

What you do do is hone in on one or two of the words or issues raised and use those as a launching off point to pivot and say whatever you want to say. For instance, in the example given, you say, "The war has gone on for too long, too many lives have been lost, too many soldiers have been wounded, too many families have been devastated to risk electing a president McCain who talks like someone who just might launch us into another war, this time with an almost-nuclear-armed Iran or a nuclear-armed Russia or who knows who." OK, maybe a slightly more nuanced version of this, but you get the idea. It's called pivoting. Please learn how to do it!! BEFORE the debates.