April 12, 2017

Host of Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace told host Melissa Frances after viewing Tillerson's press conference from Russia, that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was "noticeably more aggressive and, frankly, dominated the news conference."

Frances opened up her interview by using some of Kellyanne Conway's alternative facts by claiming Tillerson was "poised, he was firm. During the long questions he answered straight off."

She continued, " I don't know if this is what everyone expected, you remember before saying that maybe he was an inexperienced diplomat. What did you think?"

Wallace stated that room was pretty chilly during the press conference and recounted some of Tillerson's comments. "They were completely on opposite sides."

And then he commented on Francis' strong opening grades for Rex, "I wouldn't give Tillerson quite as strong or high grades as you apparently did, Melissa. I thought you could really see a contrast between Sergei Lavrov, who has been the foreign minister -- seemed very comfortable and completely unyielding long complicated answers."

Wallace continued, " In which he went back to U.S. foreign policy in Kosovo and Iraq and Libya, and Sudan, to say that the US. seems to have this fixation with ousting dictators and countries end up in much worse shape afterwards."

"Tillerson giving brief and not nearly as aggressive answers as Lavrov did. He didn't seem to want to come looking for a fight. Lavrov was very comfortable looking for a fight and taking the argument very much to the U.S."

Melissa replied, "Yeah."

Wallace, "I thought Lavrov was noticeably more aggressive and, frankly, dominated the news conference."

Later on in the interview he said, "I thought it was a very aggressive offensive by Sergei Lavrov without much push back by Tillerson. Tillerson stated his positions, but he sure wasn't in the mood for an argument with Lavrov."

Melissa asked, "Do you think [Tillerson] should have hit back harder?

Wallace replied, "Well, look, it's not my job to decide what the Secretary of State should do. I just think it was interesting to note the difference between the two. Lavrov went on at great length and very aggressively stating the U.S. position and in several cases making strong charges about the U.S. and Tillerson did not respond in kind."

Putting unqualified and know-nothings into high level cabinet positions has been Trump's reward for loyalty and friendship, but it does nothing to help secure and keep safe the country we live in.

Not a good beginning to the Rex Tillerson State Department.

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