RUSH:  Just before the program began — and on the surface it might not seem like much, but this is a classic example of why you’re fortunate to have me as your host.  The Trump campaign released, and the Drive-By Media is picking it up, that Trump is expected to tap Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is a member of the Republican leadership in the House.  She’s from the state of Washington.  Trump is expected to pick her to lead the interior department.  

Now, listen to what the Wall Street Journal says, how they characterize this.  “Ms. McMorris Rodgers, a senior member of the House of Representatives, if confirmed by the Senate, would lead Mr. Trump’s efforts to open up federal lands and waters to fossil-fuel development and reverse environmental policies the Obama administration has pursued over the past eight years.”

I sure as hell hope so.  But let me tell you what I think this really is.  Can I tell you what I think this really is?  I think this is the cabinet pick that Trump is giving Reince Priebus.  I think Reince is being permitted to pick a member of the cabinet, and this is his pick, and so now the Republican establishment can stop pushing Mitt or whoever else it is they want because this is the establishment pick.  That’s what I think this is.  She may be imminently qualified, too, I don’t know.  

I just find it fascinating the way the Wall Street Journal and everybody thinks they’re, you know, on our side of things.  “Ms. Rodgers would lead Mr. Trump’s efforts to open up federal lands and waters to fossil-fuel development.” You gotta understand, saying that is like showing Dracula the cross.  You know, global warming, some politician said this the other day, yesterday maybe.  He’s got it exactly right.  

This whole climate change, global warming thing has become a religion, and the point about that is since it’s a religion, you can’t criticize it, just like you’re not allowed to criticize the basics of Islam or Christianity.  I mean, you can criticize Christians all day long, but you can’t tell Christians they’re full of it. You can’t tell Muslims they’re full of it. You can’t tell Jewish people they’re full of it, and you can’t tell climate change people they’re full of it.  

It’s their religion.  Therefore it’s a faith, it’s not up for debate, it’s not up for argument and this is the way they’ve categorized it.  And one of the tenets of their religion is that oil is an absolutely destructive element and ought not ever be used.  It’s in the climate change top 10, if you will, and so writing it the way they have here, Ms. Rodgers “would lead Mr. Trump’s efforts to open up federal lands and waters to fossil-fuel development and reverse environmental policies the Obama administration has pursued over the past eight years.” 

Look, I don’t think there’s any doubt that that’s on the agenda.  I’m looking at Trump’s picks, and I don’t think there’s any doubt what he’s doing here.  You know, one of the potential nominees or choices for secretary of state, they just said on Fox News his stock is rising, Rex Tillerson, the CEO of Exxon.  No, no.  I’m not joking.  Have you ever, by the way, heard of a better name for a CEO of an oil company, Rex Tillerson?  And he looks like a Rex Tillerson.  He’s a good guy.  

And you know why Trump likes him?  The guy does deals.  He has to, as the CEO of Exxon they do business in 50 countries.  This guy negotiates deals on behalf of Big Oil, and Exxon is number one Big Oil. And Trump is very proud of this team he’s putting together.  The left is trying to rip him as they’re all rich, they’re all distant, they’re all unlike most Americans, and of course that’s not the case at all.  

Trump is saying: I want people who’ve made a fortune. I want people who know how to make money in America. I want people to be able to grease the skids for other people to make money in the country.  I want people who know how to do that, and I want people who can lead in doing that.  

Obama doesn’t have anybody that knows how to make money other than have it donated to them.  Did you know Obama had three generals in his cabinet, too?  Do you remember the media making a big deal of it?  He had three four-stars in his cabinet.  Do you remember the media making a big deal out of it?  They didn’t.  You know why?  Because Obama’s generals were not warrior generals.  Obama’s generals were the politically correct generals that are appeasement oriented and do whatever Obama wanted no matter whether it was good or bad.  

But Trump is very proud of the people that he’s named in his cabinet, and I don’t know if it’s gonna be Rex Tillerson or not.  I only know what I just saw on Fox, which they say his stock is rising.  But I can honestly tell you I’ve always admired Rex Tillerson.  I’m having a mental block on the name of the guy he replaced. This guy was a classic oil company CEO.  I remember a picture of this guy after Exxon had reported massive record profits, and of course the media hated that, and they ran a picture of his predecessor.  

His name is on the tip of my tongue.  It’ll come to me.  Anyway, Rex Tillerson replaced this guy, and Rex Tillerson is Hollywood good looks.  Rex Tillerson is the entire package.  I… (interruption) Lee Raymond! That’s right. Lee Raymond. And I’m sure I can find the photo that I’m thinking of, with the biggest grin on his face that accompanied the story on record profits for ExxonMobil, and I just loved it because I knew how the left was gonna react to it

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH:  I did a little look see into Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who I believe is the Reince Priebus cabinet pick. (interruption) No, no.  And I’m not being critical of it.  I actually think Trump has given Reince Priebus — who’s his chief of staff and is from the GOP Establishment — a cabinet pick, and she’s Cathy McMorris Rodgers.  She comes from the Republican establishment.  This is supposed to appease the establishment types who may be the ones pushing Romney.  That we don’t know.  Trump’s interest in Romney may be genuine, too, but I have no doubt that the establishment… 

Look, folks, I don’t care what you think and what you hear, don’t doubt me on this.  The Republican establishment and many of the Never Trumpers and some in the so-called conservative movement are still — still — very upset that Trump was elected, very doubtful Trump knows what he’s doing, would do anything they could to get people they know and trust inside Trump’s cabinet.  So far, they’ve failed.  I dare say at a most of the people Trump has chosen neither party would have picked. 

Look at where these cabinet picks are coming from.  They’re not coming from the Northeast; they’re not coming from Harvard. They’re not coming from Brown University, the Ivy League.  They’re coming from Oklahoma, from Indiana, from Iowa.  They are great warrior generals.  They are all just profoundly, greatly successful, self-starting businesspeople who know how it’s done.  They are people who’ve had to deal with the encumbering regulations and the obstacles placed in their way by bureaucrats that haven’t the slightest idea how to do what these men and women do.  

They have no business getting in the way.  

They have no business imposing their way on these people. 

I understand the need for some regulation.  I’m not talking about unfettered anything here.  But the reason for fear is unwarranted.