MARSHALL: THAT WAS WEIRD

Josh Marshall writes about the strange choice of Rex Tillerson as Secretary Of State. His take is that Tillerson has never been considered for a government job, never wanted it and never was selected as a diplomat,although he could have any ambassadorship by dint of donations. 

He was not associated with Trump and indeed was recommended to Trump by Condi Rice, Bob Gates and James Baker,all anti-Trump people. At least Rice and Gates are consultants to Exxon-Mobil. 

The selection process for State seemed to fall on the lines about who shared Trump's view on Russia. Romney did not and in fact argued over dinner with Trump on Russia's intentions. Today it is reported that Romney didn't apologize to Trump.  But that seemed to be a cover on the Russia disagreement. Crocker was against changing policy to Russia. Petraeus seemed skittish about carrying out such a policy because he knew the military dimensions of it.

And as seems to be the case,someone suggested Tillerson, a CEO of a corporation with the 17th largest economy in the world. Someone mentioned that the best way to influence Trump is to be the last person to suggest something to him.

Amy Goodman ,I think, got it. She suggested that the $500 billion with Russia negotiated by Tillerson was the key. For Putin, it would change history. For ExxonMobil provide them with decades worth of oil and revenue. In fact,Exxonmobil stock rose with Tillerson named and the company basically said they would do fine with out him.

Environmentalists are outraged because ExxonMobil had started climate change research in the 1950s and by the late 1960s concluded it was a real problem and by the late 1970s stopped the research and instead funded a series of "think tanks" that distributed Climate denial materials. Currently, they are suing a number of environmentalists who has challenged these groups and who are legally trying to get ExxonMobil to disclose how they deceived their shareholders about climate change.

But Tillerson choice has more to do with the desire of the Trump group to form a strategic alliance with Russia, something Senate Republicans are resisting.

The transition team press conference made the choice sound glowing. They hyped Tillerson's managerial skills, which would be suited to an organization as large as the State Department. They talked about his personal knowledge of the world's players--mostly autocratic leaders. But they said, "His life is a story of rags to riches. A story only possible in America."