Donald Trump is in the process of selecting his cabinet nominees and the television commentators are becoming even more obnoxious -- if that is possible. Short of nominating the Pope, the media is going to find a problem with any individual. If nominated, someone would probably accuse the Pope of being too liberal or expect him to attend Trump Tower for an interview in a business suit. We have all grown accustomed to political bickering and to the use of party ideology to attack any appointee just for the sake of displaying the party's power, but the media has found new "news life" in their archives of political footage. Luckily for us mortals, Trump seems undaunted by the side-bar comments and is proceeding at full speed -- albeit on an unfamiliar or uncharted course.
A president-elect nominating successful and wealthy business leaders is not really new. It seems, however, unusual for so many people to be willing to put their careers aside to help "Make America Great Again." If indeed they are confirmed and can display the same degree of leadership in the political area that they brought to their professions, we might see a whole new approach to political promise fulfillment.
One of the most interesting nominations to me is a man named Ray Tillerson, the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of ExxonMobil. He is planning to retire from Exxon Dec. 31, 2016, to prepare for the role of nominee for Secretary of State in Trump's cabinet. He will be 65 in March of 2017. His net worth is estimated to be over $150 million by NBC news and the Washington Post estimates that the figure is $218 million plus $69.5 million in retirement benefits. Either of these estimations should provide him plenty of protection from anyone thinking he can be influenced by media pressure and foreign money. So many references have been made to his lack of political experience (and lack of exposure to the back biting of Washington, D.C.) but those complaining probably know nothing about the corporate world. You do not get to the top slot in a major enterprise like Exxon unless you are knowledgable and capable of standing up for yourself. I am particularly impressed wth his strong, long-time, affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America where he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in his youth. All indications are the experience of scouting has influenced him in all areas of his life.
How can the news media conceivably question the qualifications of a man who has negotiated oil contracts with Russia and knows international leaders personally? Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to a lot of countries, but it is successful conclusions to any negotiations that matter, not failed opportunities. We have to remember, controversy draws viewership, and viewer ratings bring advertisers with their commercial buying dollars.
I would certainly applaud his confirmation because he has a civil engineering degree from the University of Texas - Austin rather than a Harvard (or any Ivy League school) law degree or an MBA. He appears to be a rare professional with business savvy, common sense and a devotion to our nation that influenced his corporate commitment to public well-being. There is very little doubt in my evaluation of Trump's cabinet choices that the news media fears they run the risk of losing their influence over his choices. Successful people in the business community have been known to shun publicity, unlike so many of our elected leaders who need publicity to assure re-election. Trump has been something of an exception in more ways than one, but he has had a much different purpose than just a business career. Who except the "insiders" really understood his long-term goals?
We probably need to take a few minutes to review the party politics of our last 16 years. The Clintons have used political connections (the Post Clinton presidency and Hillary's positions) to build a legacy foundation, Obama rose from a junior senator from Illinois to become the first black president and a political appointee in the right position in Florida, determined the outcome of a presidential election a few years ago.
"Yes, young man or woman, you can rise from nowhere to the presidency in America."
You just need to understand the game, know the people who play it at a very high level and be willing to be available at the right time in history.
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Editor's note: Leo Lynch, an award-winning columnist, is a native of Benton County has deep roots in northwest Arkansas. He is a retired industrial engineer and former Justice of the Peace. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Editorial on 12/21/2016