Used by the
media to explain how politicians often say
crazy things to appeal to their base during a primary, and then adopt more
moderate attitudes once they win their party's nomination. More generally, it's a euphemism for lying or any behavior which upsets our basic expectations of the social contract.
Mitt Romney pivoted on every
major issue during the debate.
When Fabrizio slept with all those hookers in Bangkok, he pivoted on his wedding vow to be "faithful and true til
death do us part."
During the Srebrenica massacre, the Serbian
army pivoted on the position that slaughtering thousands of unarmed and defenseless civilians is a shitty thing to do.