The Gist

Let’s Talk About Rex

Houston Chronicle energy reporter James Osborne on Trump’s prospective left-field pick for secretary of state.

ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson looks on at a Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York in 2012.

James Leynse/Getty Images

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James Osborne writes about energy and politics for the Houston Chronicle. He’s covered Rex Tillerson for years, yet they’ve never spoken directly. During his time as CEO of ExxonMobil, Tillerson has rarely granted interviews and only gives one press conference a year. For 15 minutes. Osborne says Tillerson has never really had to face the press—a luxury he’ll be forfeiting if he’s confirmed as secretary of state next year.

For the Spiel, the media still doesn’t know how to cover blue-collar workers.

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