BloggeRhythms

Predicting the choice for incoming secretary of state has kept the media in suspense for several weeks by now. And, once again, Trump’s creativity has come thorough as he’s taken a pragmatic, businesslike approach to finding the best way to fill the critically important role. This time, he’s utilizing the experience and skills of two individuals for the task at hand.

Thinking outside the box again, Trump's said to have chosen ExxonMobil chief, Rex Tillerson for the top role. Tillerson's spent his entire career in the energy sector, with no government employment  experience at all.

However, as far as overall experience goes, Tillerson’s company employs 83,400 worldwide, while having operations in more than 50 countries in which he deals with those governments leaders as a regular matter of conducting business.   

One of the nation’s on the list is Russia, where according to the Wall Street Journal, he “negotiated an energy partnership with Putin in 2011 that the Russian president said could be worth $500 billion.” His links to Putin go back to the Boris Yeltsin administration, when Tillerson represented his company's interests at the time. In 2013, the Kremlin bestowed the country's Order of Friendship honor on Tillerson. 

In contradiction, John McCain, told NBC News on Saturday “he has concerns over Tillerson's ties with Russia and that it would be the subject of any Senate confirmation hearing.” 

Sarah Palin’s another who has qualms, having gone after Tillerson in her book "Going Rogue: An American Life," for the way ExxonMobil handled the media attention and dialogue between the Alaskan government and the company over a proposed oil pipeline in her state.

Palin wrote: “We knew we were headed in the right direction when the threats from some oil industry players began — everything from nasty emails to multimillion-dollar ad campaigns. Though none of the Big Three oil companies wanted to move away from their relationships with the previous administration, ExxonMobil seemed particularly hostile." 

However, while Palin’s thoughts certainly apply to a politician having a self-serving motive in mind, what does she think a responsible business executive should have done in his situation? At the time, his company had a previously successful working relationship with the government that she wanted to overturn. Considering the investment and profit loss involved for ExxonMobil, had Tillerson simply said “Okay” and walked away, his directors would have rightfully fired him on the spot, then found someone else to take her on. 

As far as brilliantly solving the problem of Tillerson’s lack of government experience, Trump’s pairing him up with John Bolton, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under “W” Bush. 

Serving as deputy secretary of state, Bolton will handle day-to-day management of the department. A perfect pairing with the diplomatic chores of Tillerson. As a self-described advocate of  the Reagan foreign policy idea of "peace through strength," Bolton was also a vocal proponent of the war in Iraq. 

One of the things his detractors will surely focus upon is his saying in 2002: "We are confident that Saddam Hussein has hidden weapons of mass destruction and production facilities in Iraq," as “W’s” undersecretary of state for Arms Control and International Security. 

In that regard, Andrea Mitchell @nbcnews.com has already started raising doubt about him, writing this morning: “He continued to defend his position even after it was discovered that Iraq harbored no weapons of mass destruction.” 

However, that will likely turn out to be a very hard sell for the MSM because, as reported by John Hawkins @townhall.com February 21, 2016, “If George W. Bush lied, then by default you have to also believe that Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, John Edwards, Robert Byrd, Tom Daschle, Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders also lied. Some of them, like Hillary Clinton, even alleged that Saddam was working on nuclear weapons.” 

That was followed by a quote from Clinton, who said on October 10, 2002: “In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security.”  

Thus, one has to assume that both Tillerson and Bolton will almost certainly attain confirmation to their future posts, just the way Trump has planned it. 

As for Trump himself, yesterday he attended the annual Army-Navy game, where according to Ken Thomas of the Associated Press, he was “cheered by fans.” 

The significance here is major for a couple of reasons. Acceptance by the military enhances any national leader, and in this case a visible turnaround from the standoffish presidential posture over the past eight years. The game is also watched by huge numbers of viewers.

While this years attendance has not been posted yet, in 2015 the game earned a 4.5 final rating and 7.1 million viewers on CBS. That was up 10% in ratings and 14% in viewership from the prior year, and up 15% in both measures from 2013. 

It was also the highest rated and most-watched game between the rivals since 1999 and 1994, respectively and the second-highest since CBS began carrying the Army/Navy game in 1996, behind only 1999. 

Which means that the game was another ideal selection by Trump as a way to simultaneously say thanks to voters, appreciate the military and almost certainly win the favor of more citizens too. And, in addition, its highly probable that those viewing him believe in his sincerity. Another huge difference from attitudes of the past eight years.

Praising the athlete at halftime, with FoxNews.com  in Baltimore, Trump called them “amazing people.”

“You don’t see this kind of spirit everywhere,” he said. “Just amazing people.” 

“He also said the experience of becoming president and knowing he would lead such great men and women was “humbling” and also a “great honor and responsibility.”


And then, one more win was posted when Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy was elected Senator in Louisiana, giving the GOP a 52-48 edge in the chamber.

All-in-all, a very good day for the president-elect.

That's it for today folks. 

Adios