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So much Kabuki theatre

Reader comment on item: What Rex Tillerson Thinks
in response to reader comment: Menendez 's take on Tillerson? Really?

Submitted by jd will (United States), Jan 14, 2017 at 13:24

I took the time to watch the entire confirmation hearing video on C-Span. I came away with respect for Rex Tillerson. Not blind trust, but a sense that this is a tough and realistic adult with an underlying moral compass.

Some of the senators merely engaged in entrapping questions (with Rubio -R) being the most egregious. Rex Tillerson is far too seasoned to allow himself to be baited into such inflammatory language as he prepares to take over a very sensitive position. Senators can posture thus, but a SoS cannot without severe loss of bandwidth for dialogue with leaders like Putin. That does not mean I think Rubio is wrong about some of the travesties he listed, he is however amatuer and childish in how to deal with them. I used to think he had potential, but now believe he is a petulant lightweight.

Only a few senators had dialogues about what a future SoS will actually face while others wasted their time (and mine) with ridiculous foray's into junk science about climate change. I am not a climate change denier, but too much hysteria about the tiny changes we have seen so far is being propagated for political reasons.

I suspect more substantive discussions were held in the private meetings they had with RT (heh, a pun) and some small signs I saw in the open hearings make me think that some democrats (Shaheen, Cardin) may vote to confirm this SoS nominee.

I get that you are adamant about Trump, but I have decided (and voted) to give nationalism a chance as the the ones who proclaimed for the last 40 or so years of my life that they knew better, didn't.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (31) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Obama and tyrants [68 words]helenJan 13, 2017 13:13235317
Rex Tillerson, a true climate believer - NOT [91 words]ThomasJJan 8, 2017 12:38235209
3Tabula Rasa: "Make America Great Again" [414 words]RobertJan 8, 2017 11:53235208
American Business [96 words]diana s. hamiltonJan 11, 2017 16:12235208
Chill out! [128 words]Elspeth R HuntJan 8, 2017 02:31235202
1Caste distinctions are out-of-place in America [83 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Michael SJan 8, 2017 01:36235200
I think the next four years will be good for America, compared to the past 28 [325 words]Michael SJan 11, 2017 04:00235200
1Allowing a fallacious critique of Rex Tillerson shows bias [271 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Rich McJan 7, 2017 23:37235199
Hit piece on Tillerson [49 words]dgdJan 7, 2017 21:00235195
1So what [10 words]RealityCheckJan 7, 2017 20:30235191
1Funny how Democrats didn't mind Obama's sucking up to Erdogan [41 words]AnonJan 7, 2017 19:07235189
Re dictators... [89 words]KephaJan 27, 2017 20:27235189
2Bob who? [132 words]WartyJan 7, 2017 18:59235188
Tillerson [39 words]Fred SchwartzJan 7, 2017 18:22235187
1Shallow Thinking Makes For Weak Convictions [131 words]DaveJan 7, 2017 18:15235186
1Cuba [130 words]GaryJan 7, 2017 17:53235185
Tillerson As Sec of State [97 words]Martin SchaffelJan 7, 2017 15:37235184
1Tillerson [16 words]Morrie AmitayJan 7, 2017 15:16235183
4Ridding the Mideast of Authoritarian figures [97 words]Steve KleinJan 7, 2017 15:04235182
1Secular democracy in the so called Islamic land is everyone's business [152 words]PrashantJan 7, 2017 22:06235182
1The intent of Reader Steve Klein's message was not very clear [195 words]PrashantJan 8, 2017 14:47235182
Prashant, you understood my intent perfectly [101 words]Steve KleinJan 10, 2017 10:55235182
China - Secular Oligarchy & Sustainability [432 words]RobertJan 10, 2017 14:31235182
It's time for America to rally around our chosen leader [Trump] and stand up to our enemies. [747 words]Michael SJan 12, 2017 15:53235182
knowledge of the outside world [111 words]Erin CorriganJan 7, 2017 15:02235181
2Menendez 's take on Tillerson? Really? [67 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PA StrongJan 7, 2017 14:40235180
...and I guess I wonder why don't. [7 words]P.A StrongJan 7, 2017 20:46235180
Is Cuba Really Going to be Trump's Foreign Policy Center Piece? [395 words]M ToveyJan 9, 2017 11:07235180
Businessmen can be leaders too -- and make money at it! [474 words]Michael SJan 10, 2017 10:50235180
1So much Kabuki theatre [283 words]jd willJan 14, 2017 13:24235180
3Time for a Different Strategy [38 words]Barry BlackJan 7, 2017 14:33235179

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