When we talk about climate change as just one variable, we empower right-wing narratives that blame disasters on everything but fossil fuel policies, allowing policymakers to sidestep the climate action we need.

Some news outlets wisely sidestepped the go-nowhere debate about what Musk "meant" to focus on a more productive topic: the impact of his behavior.

In the months leading up to his election and inauguration, Trump promised to overhaul the immigration system and border security on “Day 1” through executive orders in a sidestep of the regular legislative process.

Crowley has typically sidestepped questions about sexism or bullying in her own rise through the ranks, saying she had an intrinsic sense of how to deal with men who hassled her on the job.

The court sidestepped other tricky issues – such as whether concerns about Chinese influence on TikTok's algorithm justified a ban.