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[PopeReal]

PopeReal "I like sausage."

 

[zma1013]

I'm not in a situation where I can watch the video, but if someone gives me the actual quote I'll edit it.

"The President speaks for himself"

Basically implying he does not speak for American values.

 

[Ponn]

America: we care more about semantics than reality.

Trumps President. The PoTUS by definition speaks for America. Saying Trunp speaks for himself =?? But whatever.

 

[ZeoVGM]

He says "The president speaks for himself," in relation to the rest of the world wondering if his response to the racist protests speaks for the country.

The quote in the title is wrong but the actual quote is just as damning.

 

[CrocMother]

Depending on context, the implications are very similar. But yeah, not sure what OP was quoting.

It is similar given the context. He's talking about reflections of American values, and says the President reflects his own values, not of America in general.

 

[mike6467]

Yep, it's still a notable thing he said. It's a shame the OP took away from that a little bit. Unnecessary.

It's a strong statement. These are elected officials and by and large it's implied they speak for their constituents and their constituents values. Tillerson just said "the president speaks for himself" and in the context given, it's a pretty powerful declaration.

 

[Aselith]

I'm not in a situation where I can watch the video, but if someone gives me the actual quote I'll edit it.

"The president speaks for himself, Chris"

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

I'm not in a situation where I can watch the video, but if someone gives me the actual quote I'll edit it.

"The President speaks for himself"

 

[adj_noun]

nm

 

[GoldenEye 007]

It is similar given the context. He's talking about reflections of American values, and says the President reflects his own values, not of America in general.

Yeah you're right I think. It is quite damning.

 

[TetraGenesis]

Dude, what a bummer of a quote compared to what you promised in the title. Why would you put "does not speak for America" in quotations if it wasn't actually a quote?

I mean, what he actually said could be interpreted as that, but it could also be interpreted as something far less damning than you led us to believe. It's clear Tillerson was dunking on Trump here, but he was doing it subtly enough to write it off with the right spin.

 

[WedgeX]

I'm not in a situation where I can watch the video, but if someone gives me the actual quote I'll edit it.

The full quote:

"I don't believe anyone doubts the American people's values, or the commitment of the American government, or the government's agencies to advancing those values and defending those values," Tillerson said.

"And the president's values?" Wallace asked.

"The president speaks for himself, Chris," Tillerson replied.

http://www.businessinsider.com/tillerson-trump-speaks-for-himself-fox-news-sunday-2017-8

 

[djplaeskool]

The quote in the OP is definitely missing context.

However, even when you add the context, it's pretty damning for a Secretary of State to say this with such unblinking surety...

 

[Lazy vs Crazy]

I'm not in a situation where I can watch the video, but if someone gives me the actual quote I'll edit it.

"The president speaks for himself"

After the context of talking about the people, government, and government agencies being commitment to American values. Wallace then asks Tillerson "And the President's values?"

 

[ZeoVGM]

"The President speaks for himself"

Rex Tillerson on Trump's response to racist riots: "[He] speaks for himself."

That would probably be the title that would explain the quote best.

 

[BrassDragon]

He does speak for himself.

Spoiler

And sometimes for Putin.

 

[Kyzer]

I think he's basically just saying please don't ask me to explain Trumps bs type of thing

Spicer did this all the time. Like youre gonna have to ask the president about that as a way of avoiding having to spin or justify views

 

[Extollere]

No matter how you look at it, that's still a pretty damning quote. Him saying that might not cause any big stir or blow back, but it sure as hell gives you a glimpse into where he's at. Dude is not at all satisfied with Trump or his own job. You can see it on his face.

 

[Forward]

Yep.

The implication is the same, but clearly different wording.

We live in a country where there exists a large enough segment of fanbase to get Watanabe to duck the fact that he

Spoiler

perfectly and poetically

killed off Spike at the end of Bebop.

Things NEED spelling out, in the good ol' United States of America.

 

[UnObtainium17]

I'm not in a situation where I can watch the video, but if someone gives me the actual quote I'll edit it.

" You know what Chris, The president really does speak for the last of us (

Spoiler

himself).

"

 

[Gordon Shumway]

 

[lush]

Wallace - "Does that make it harder for you to push American values around the world when some foreign leaders question the President’s values?”

Tillerson - “We express America’s values from the State Department. We represent the American people, their commitment to freedom and to equal treatment to people the world over, and that message has never changed,"

Wallace - "And when the President gets in to the type of controversy he does and the UN committee responds the way it does, it seems to say that they begin to doubt whether we're living those values."

Tillerson - “I don’t believe anyone doubts the American people’s values or the commitment of the American government or the government’s agencies to advancing those values and defending those values.”

Wallace - "And the president's values?"

Tillerson - "The president speaks for himself, Chris."

Wallace - "Are you separating yourself from that, sir?"

Tillerson - "I gave my own comments on our values as well in the speech I gave at the State Department last week."

Yeesh. I'd say it's only a matter of time before Rex bows out, he didn't want any part of this shit to begin with.

 

[Aselith]

" You know what Chris, The president really does speak for the last of us (

Spoiler

himself).

"

"Stop this shit" - Aldous "Dumbledore" Huxley

 

[CrocMother]

Cohn and Tillerson seem to be the last ones truly keeping this thing somewhat on the rails.

If either or both leave, it's a new era.

 

[theWB27]

America: we care more about semantics than reality.

Trumps President. The PoTUS by definition speaks for America. Saying Trunp speaks for himself =?? But whatever.

Oddly peeved at some people not cosigning a racist. Even if that racist is president. He surely doesn't speak for me.

 

[Captin Quacker]

 

[RPGCrazied]

https://twitter.com/margarita/status/901816452558319617

WOW. Tillerson next to go?

First he has to be humiliated on twitter in some way like he did Sessions.

 

[BoboBrazil]

I thought the president spoke for racists as well as himself.

 

[Duxxy3]

Nah. That wasn't an accident. He meant exactly what he said. Tillerson doesn't need trump or that job.

 

[Ri'Orius]

Mods, when you change a terrible thread title, please, please, please edit the original title into the OP. Because now the first half of the thread is just "bad title" posts that make no sense. And then I have to try to infer what the title was to understand what people are talking about (looks like it was "The President does not speak for America").

Bad titles need to be changed, but when half the thread is talking about the old title, we really need to have some way of knowing what it was.

 

[MarionCB]

This is quite a strong statement and the look on Tillerson's face after he says it speaks volumes. Also:

Tillerson - "I don't believe anyone doubts the American people's values or the commitment of the American government or the government's agencies to advancing those values and defending those values."

He's talking internationally here and I feel like I need to point out that many sure as shit do doubt America and their people on these values for very good reason, including myself. Not only as a recent thing either.

 

[Volimar]

This is quite a strong statement and the look on Tillerson's face after he says it speaks volumes.



He's talking internationally here and I feel like I need to point out that many sure as shit do doubt America and their people on these values for very good reason, including myself. Not only as a recent thing either.

You know you love us. Cut yourself off a piece of freedom loving Apple pie.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

well....shit.

and he meant that.

 

[jstripes]

Tillerson's got this look on his face like "I only got involved in this administration to secretly make billions by dropping sanctions on Russia. I wasn't prepared for all this white supremacy business."

 

[CarpeDeezNutz]

Was there some clIckbait title change?

 

[Ponn]

Oddly peeved at some people not cosigning a racist. Even if that racist is president. He surely doesn't speak for me.

Huh? I'm peeved that people are always trying to use semantics to squirm out of something blatantly obvious. Doesn't matter how this is worded, the end result is the exact same, either he speaks for America or he speaks for himself. He's President and one of his duties is to speak for Americans as the elected President. If he's not fit for that duty then people need to just say it. Rex Tillerson said it, arguing about the wording of it is stupid and something Fox News would do.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Tillerson's got this look on his face like "I only got involved in this administration to secretly make billions by dropping sanctions on Russia. I wasn't prepared for all this white supremacy business."

He got cockblocked from doing what he wanted, so now he's got a high stress job with the worst boss on the planet and nothing to show for it.

His own damn fault for making a deal with the devil.

 

[Saint Gregory]

Was there some clIckbait title change?

The original title was "Tillerson: Trump Doesn't Speak For America" or something like that which isn't what he said. The implication is still there though and is kind of damning since Trump is technically the head of state even though Tillerson is in the 2nd highest diplomatic position.

 

[cameron]

Wallace - "Does that make it harder for you to push American values around the world when some foreign leaders question the President’s values?”

Tillerson - “We express America’s values from the State Department. We represent the American people, their commitment to freedom and to equal treatment to people the world over, and that message has never changed,"

Wallace - "And when the President gets in to the type of controversy he does and the UN committee responds the way it does, it seems to say that they begin to doubt whether we're living those values."

Tillerson - “I don’t believe anyone doubts the American people’s values or the commitment of the American government or the government’s agencies to advancing those values and defending those values.”

Wallace - "And the president's values?"

Tillerson - "The president speaks for himself, Chris."

Wallace - "Are you separating yourself from that, sir?"

Tillerson - "I gave my own comments on our values as well in the speech I gave at the State Department last week."

Yeesh. I'd say it's only a matter of time before Rex bows out, he didn't want any part of this shit to begin with.

Might be worth putting the transcript in the OP for those that can't access twitter or can't watch the video. The lead up to Rex's statement is rather damning.

Also covered by WaPo: Tillerson says Trump ‘speaks for himself’ on values

 

[LifEndz]

Tillerson just did a "My name's Bennet, and I ain't in it."

What a time to be alive.

 

[CarpeDeezNutz]

The original title was "Tillerson: Trump Doesn't Speak For America" or something like that which isn't what he said. The implication is still there though and is kind of damning since Trump is technically the head of state even though Tillerson is in the 2nd highest diplomatic position.

Ah ok thanks. I was confused by some of the replies.

 

[Locke562]

I think this is very thread worthy but this was kind of botched.

 

[valkillmore]

Ah ok thanks. I was confused by some of the replies.

Yeah same.

Having said that, this is still a newsworthy statement from Tillerson and he said it in no uncertain terms either. Very interesting and may I say a modicum of relief?

 

[BRYCKER]

The dominos need to keep falling.

 

[Cheerilee]

A mod could add a square brackets [not America] to the thread title, as that's the sort of thing that editors sometimes do to make the meaning of quotes clearer.

 

[Hellwarden]

Even with the full context, it doesn't sound great.

Now on one hand, Tillerson might have said that honestly knowing how bad it sounds because he wants out, but it's also possible Tillerson really didn't stop to think about it.

 

[Blader]

Cohn and Tillerson seem to be the last ones truly keeping this thing somewhat on the rails.

If either or both leave, it's a new era.

Tillerson isn't really do anything; Trump just doesn't listen to him. The only real power Tillerson has, and has been actually using effectively, is in gutting the State Department.

 

[Extollere]

IIRC I remember hearing a rumor that Tillerson wanted to at least make it to one year with this administration. Maybe he's just holding out for that goal. I'd be surprised to see him sticking with it the entire term.

 

[WinFonda]

"The president speaks for himself" or some variation of that seems to be the go to non-defense defense that people in his administration say that provides just enough distancing and ambiguity to not get themselves fired.

 

[sc0la]

"The president speaks for himself" or some variation of that seems to be the go to non-defense defense that people in his administration say that provides just enough distancing and ambiguity to not get themselves fired.

"The presidents comment/tweet/statement speaks for itself" and "the president speaks for himself" are completely different responses IMO.