# Should/will Rex Tillerson be confirmed as Secretary of State? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 13, 2016, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603 "2016-12-13T07:03:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/161 "2017-01-04T13:59:00Z")
[Exxon Mobil, Tillerson agree to cut all ties](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-exxon-mobil-tillerson-idUSKBN14O08N) [QUOTE=Reuters] Exxon Mobil Corp and Rex Tillerson agreed to sever all ties to comply with conflict-of-interest requirements as the company’s former chairman and chief executive awaits confirmation as U.S. secretary of state. If his appointment is confirmed, the value of more than 2 million deferred Exxon Mobil shares (worth about $182 million at Tuesday’s closing price) that Tillerson would have received over the next 10 years will be transferred to an independently managed trust, the company said in a statement. The share awards will be canceled and Tillerson will also surrender entitlement to more than $4.1 million in cash bonuses, scheduled to pay out over the next three years, and other benefits, Exxon Mobil said. Separately, Tillerson also committed to the State Department that, if confirmed, he would sell the more than 600,000 Exxon shares he currently owns, the company said. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/162 "2017-01-04T16:58:54Z")
Also, he has vowed to forget he ever worked for ExxonMobil, and assured the public that he would never, NEVER do anything that would profit this company, no sir! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/163 "2017-01-04T18:00:00Z")
Kinda like the way “Big” Dick Cheney cut all his ties to Halliburton. OK, he let them build some showers, I guess some folks found that shocking. Soldiers, mostly. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/164 "2017-01-04T18:02:42Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Also, he has vowed to forget he ever worked for ExxonMobil, and assured the public that he would never, NEVER do anything that would profit this company, no sir! I’ve always wondered what stops the guy running a blind trust from making a phone call or sending a letter. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/165 "2017-01-04T18:14:12Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I’ve always wondered what stops the guy running a blind trust from making a phone call or sending a letter. Off the top of my head, I would say conflict of interest regulations, insider trading laws and professional penalties on whoever is running the fake blind trust? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/166 "2017-01-04T18:18:36Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Off the top of my head, I would say conflict of interest regulations, insider trading laws and professional penalties on whoever is running the fake blind trust? Are the phones tapped? Mail screened? Wouldn’t be that hard to pass along hints. Besides, I’m sure Trump has plans for those pesky ethics things. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/167 "2017-01-04T18:47:43Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Are the phones tapped? Mail screened? Wouldn’t be that hard to pass along hints. So then your real musing was “I’ve always wondered whether people running blind trusts are put under constant surveillance”? :dubious: Hey, I’ve always wondered what’s to stop people from setting mailboxes on fire. They can’t guard them all! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/168 "2017-01-04T19:36:21Z")
Was that, like, one of those “analogy” things? Bit hard to tell. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/169 "2017-01-04T20:04:33Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Was that, like, one of those “analogy” things? Bit hard to tell. I was told there would be no analogies! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/170 "2017-01-05T04:47:44Z")
Not literally. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/171 "2017-02-01T21:02:34Z")
Well, Rex Tillerson was [just confirmed by the Senate to be Secretary of State](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/02/01/senate-confirms-rex-tillerson-to-become-secretary-of-state/?hpid=hp_hp-banner-low_tillerson-300pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory). But–the vote was 56 to 43 (with only a handful of Democrats voting yes). By contrast, Hillary Clinton was [confirmed by 94 to 2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton#Nomination_and_confirmation), John Kerry was [confirmed by 94 to 3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kerry#Secretary_of_State_.282013.E2.80.932017.29), and Condoleezza Rice was [confirmed by 85 to 13](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice#Secretary_of_State_.282005.E2.80.932009.29)–which at the time was [the most negative votes for a Secretary of State since 1825](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6862922/ns/politics/t/rice-sworn-secretary-state/), a record which the confirmation of Tillerson just broke quite handily. The Trump Presidency Is _Not_ Normal. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/172 "2017-02-01T21:28:45Z")
It’s not supposed to be normal. Feature, not bug. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/173 "2017-02-01T21:40:08Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s not supposed to be normal. Feature, not bug. The self parking option in my car that parallel parks without driver assistance is a feature. If in the process of parking it plows into the car ahead and behind to make room, it would be a bug. Trump is the latter and we shouldn’t hand wave it away as just the SOP of the 2017 model. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/174 "2017-02-01T23:13:48Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > The self parking option in my car that parallel parks without driver assistance is a feature. If in the process of parking it plows into the car ahead and behind to make room, it would be a bug. Trump is the latter and we shouldn’t hand wave it away as just the SOP of the 2017 model. I didn’t hand-wave it away. People are acting surprised. He was elected precisely because he offered something different. That is, apparently, what our esteemed fellow citizens wanted. However, I’m actually OK with Tillerson now. I wasn’t too keen on him at first, but as I learned he was actually recommended by Robert Gates (whom I admire quite a bit), I changed my mind. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/175 "2017-02-01T23:57:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > …That is, apparently, what our esteemed fellow citizens wanted… _Some_ of our esteemed fellow citizens. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/176 "2017-02-02T02:43:42Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > _Some_ of our esteemed fellow citizens. Yes, some. Enough to win in our democracy. But yes, not all or even most. Just enough to win in our democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/177 "2017-02-02T04:38:27Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > _Some_ of our esteemed fellow citizens. Some of our fellow citizens. “Esteemed” is a bridge too far. Give me another week, and I might feel the same about “fellow citizens.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/178 "2017-02-02T09:23:35Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Some of our fellow citizens. “Esteemed” is a bridge too far. > > Give me another week, and I might feel the same about “fellow citizens.” How about “essteamed”? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/179 "2017-02-04T21:45:42Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Well, Rex Tillerson was [just confirmed by the Senate to be Secretary of State](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/02/01/senate-confirms-rex-tillerson-to-become-secretary-of-state/?hpid=hp_hp-banner-low_tillerson-300pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory). But–the vote was 56 to 43 (with only a handful of Democrats voting yes). By contrast, Hillary Clinton was [confirmed by 94 to 2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton#Nomination_and_confirmation), John Kerry was [confirmed by 94 to 3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kerry#Secretary_of_State_.282013.E2.80.932017.29), and Condoleezza Rice was [confirmed by 85 to 13](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice#Secretary_of_State_.282005.E2.80.932009.29)–which at the time was [the most negative votes for a Secretary of State since 1825](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6862922/ns/politics/t/rice-sworn-secretary-state/), a record which the confirmation of Tillerson just broke quite handily. > > The Trump Presidency Is _Not_ Normal. So you are saying that the Democrats are more obstructionist than the Republicans? And here I thought it was the Republicans who were the ‘party of no’… ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603/180 "2017-02-04T21:47:53Z")
_Gasp!_ Do you mean, like, some form of liberal hypocrisy! But that would utterly negate any argument that they might make! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-will-rex-tillerson-be-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state/774603.md?page=10)