I spent much of the afternoon watching the live coverage of Rex Tillerson’s senate confirmation hearings.  I was very impressed with his responses, and found that some of the questions he was asked were entirely inappropriate for a public hearing as they would reveal possible ploys for dealing with the Russians.  The most petty moments were the grandstanding questions of Rubio, who appeared adolescent in contrast to a pro like Tillerson. How fortunate for all that Rubio was eliminated early on in the campaign.

Regrettably there was an overlap and I had to leave that coverage to watch The Donald.  There is clearly something wrong with that man on a personal level, but he has a very good case for the attempted vilification by certain segments of the media.  I loved his rebuff of CNN by refusing to accept any questions from their correspondent.  His comments re Buzzfeed were predictable, NYT, Vanity Faire, Streep pettiness, but that group is a joke anyway.  For me the most impressive moment was the time on stage of his attorney, who detailed the alleged efforts he has made to separate his past business ventures from his future job.  She was excellent, but I did wonder just how many blank pages there were in those stacks of documents lying on the table to her right.  Perhaps the rebuffed CNN reporter will have had a quick look.

David Fuller's view

Thanks for your thoughts on this important confirmation hearing.  I saw a brief section of the Rex Tillerson hearings over the weekend and was impressed.  He was very articulate, knowledgeable and reassuring on a range of subjects. 

In fact, I would not have minded if he had just become the president elect.  I also maintain that Trump has selected the most capable business team of any president during my lifetime.  I think that will be good for the USA and I hope to see more successful people from the private sector nominated for senior governmental roles in the UK and any other democracies.  

(See also: If Rex Tillerson Is Confirmed By The Senate, What Does That Mean For XOM?, by Martin Tillier for Nasdaq)