A diplomatic dance

It is a carefully choreographed routine that Cabinet nominees often have to master as they are put through their paces at confirmation hearings.

And, heaven knows ex-Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson was more adept than most as he attempted to weave his way among the thicket of issues en route to the post of secretary of state.

For those concerned about his once-cozy relationship with Russian officials, Tillerson was forthright in responding that, no, Russia had no right to invade and annex Crimea and that a tougher U.S. response might have halted aggression in eastern Ukraine.

As for the future, he said, “If Russia acts with force, that requires a proportional show of force that there will be no more taking of territory.” Well said, indeed.

But when asked by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio whether Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions at home — where political opponents and journalists often end up dead — or in Aleppo, Syria, where Russian planes dropped barrel bombs on civilians, made him a war criminal, Tillerson parried.

“I would not use that term,” he said. OK, diplomats don’t name-call. Likewise he refused to call out Saudi Arabia for human rights violations — a response Rubio called “discouraging.”

“There seems to be some misunderstanding that I see the world through a different lens,” he told Rubio. “I’m also cleareyed and realistic about dealing in cultures.”

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, even if eight years of

realpolitik have made us all a little cynical and saddened by its consequences.

It was, however, during questioning about Exxon Mobil’s lobbying activities, particularly over the issue of sanctions, that Tillerson stumbled badly.

“I have never lobbied against sanctions personally,” Tillerson said. “To my knowledge, Exxon never directly lobbied against sanctions.”

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (DN.J.) produced four lobbying reports, including one from 2014, the year of the Crimea invasion.

“In essence, Exxon became the in-house lobbyist for Russia against these sanctions,” Menendez charged.

Tillerson continued to obfuscate.

Keeping in mind that it’s the State Department that preaches the gospel of transparency to nations and people around the world, it was a shabby performance.

But it’s Tillerson’s attitudes toward future sanctions against Russia that matter — and on that subject his vague answers were cause for concern.