Robert Mueller
Rex Tillerson is out at the State Department. Mike Pompeo is in. So is Stormy Daniels, waiting to tell her story on 60 Minutes. The White House’s email this morning was deafeningly silent about Tillerson’s firing, directing the public’s attention to the president’s visit to the border wall with Mexico today.
As a long time proponent of a foreign policy of respect for the sovereignty of other nations, the pursuit of peaceful solutions to international disputes, and global action on climate change, and a critic of crony capitalism, it is leaves me more than a little disturbed to find myself in the same camp with a former Exxon CEO, the FBI, the CIA, and Generals and Admirals of the U.S. military establishment who refuse to settle down in the White House cuckoo’s nest.
Rex Tillerson is out the day after publicly paying heed to America’s closest ally’s claim that the Russians are responsible for the poisonings in Britain. That the president and Tillerson disagreed on strategic matters is no secret. Nor is the allegation that the Secretary of State called his boss “a ___ moron,” an allegation Tillerson deflected but never denied. Why the president waited so long to fire him has been a head-scratcher explained perhaps by the respect Tillerson commands from Wall Street, multinational corporate leaders, global capitalist free trade proponents, and, yes, even moderate climate change action advocates. All have looked to the former Exxon CEO as one Trump cabinet member who a least understands complexity and respects measured responses and careful planning required before things like a meeting with Kim Jung-un.
The president often tweets after a stormy night. Perhaps the timing of the Tillerson firing less than a week before Stormy Daniels’ scheduled 60 Minutes interview is an ill-considered attempt to circle the wagons around the cuckoo’s nest before Stormy and the Mueller investigation findings shut off the television in the White House bedroom.
- Gordon C. Stewart, Chaska, MN, March 13, 2018
Views from the Edge 
Borowitz wrote an article commenting that Tillerson hopes (demonic laughter) that Trump discovers he has been impeached on a Twitter feed. Ah-men!
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I LOVE this, Marilyn. Firing people was something I had to do as a pastor/head of staff of multiple staff churches and as executive director of a non-profit. In those moments where someone had to be “let go”, the news of termination was always face-to-face. Eyeball-to-eyeball.
To fire anyone in any other way is inhumane, grossly insensitive, and cowardly. For the POTUS to announce the firing of his Secretary of State by means of a tweet and to brush criticism aside by claiming that he and Tillerson has been “discussing it for some time” pushes the boundaries of civility.
It’s only a matter of time before the pot boils over. I only hope and pray that, when it does, the reasons for impeachment proceedings are so clear that even Elijah can understand them and agree DJT should be “fired”!
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We live for it. Literally rather than figuratively. Garry, who never hated anyone in his life, really hates this president. I think it is ruining his retirement.
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That makes four of us!
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Thanks for that, Gordon. I hadn’t even heard about Tillerson until I read what you wrote. I don’t try to understand Trump at all. Like you said, he uses things like the firing of Tillerson to keep us from noticing all the other illegal, immoral, unethical, disgusting, and mean things he has done. There is no point in my thinking anymore about his mental health diagnosis or whether he will go to heaven or hell. But I still read about him when you write about him, because I am interested in your thoughts. I probably still have some curiosity about him but I am more interested in how we can live with things in our government the way they are now and how we can change the future. Keep writing, Gordon!!!
Cynthia
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Hi, Cynthia! I’m late responding to you. My apologies. The news these past few days makes my head spin…in a good way. The wind is blowing in the direction of truth and public accountability for the pattern of lying, bullying, cover-ups, and criminal charges .
What can we do now? You know as well or better than I. We keep the faith. Keep keeping on. Stay sane ourselves in the midst of the madness. How? Worship for starters! Morning devotions/meditations. Get your hands on a copy of The Book of Common Prayer and turn to the assigned psalm, OT, and NT readings for each day on the calendar. Ponder them, pray them. Quiet your precious spirit. Grace and Peace, Gordon
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Yes, it does feel strange.
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