CBS’s Rooney Dismisses Viewers Criticizing His Pro-Obama Bias

NewsBusters ^ | March 30, 2009 | Kyle Drennen

[50mm]

On Sunday’s CBS 60 Minutes, commentator Andy Rooney read from some viewer letters: "It's always fun to read the letters people send, I get a lot of them, although, to be honest, if I took all the letters seriously I wouldn't ever say anything again. I get quite a few bad letters and, of course, I pay least attention to those. I don't want you to see me cry."

Some of those "bad letters" came from viewers who criticized Rooney’s and the media’s pro-Obama bias: "Thomas Overley writes from Oceanside, California. He's mad because he thinks I like President Obama. 'Very sorry to see someone I respected contribute to this mass media love affair,' Tom says. Well, to tell you the truth Mr. Overley, I do like Obama but I didn't think you'd notice. Todd, from Las Cruces, New Mexico, says 'the reason I don't hear about the people who hate Barack Obama is because the press has put a muzzle on them.' I don't know about that Todd. I show the producer my piece before it goes on the air every week and he'll tell me it isn't any good but he never puts a muzzle on me."

At the end of the January 25 broadcast, Rooney declared: "Maybe I'm reading the wrong newspapers and listening to the wrong people, but I'm not hearing anyone who hates Barack Obama." Well, apparently Rooney has found some Obama critics, in his own audience.

[50mm]

Rooney the zero kneepadist, clueless and biased as usual.

[GOPsterinMA]

“Wake up Mr. Rooney. It’s time for your sleeping pill.”

[Natural Law]

You mean he is still alive? I haven't see or heard him in over 20 years and I am much happeir for it.

[Brilliant]

He is a leftist nutcase, but the looney left claims he’s a right-winger. It shows how badly their gray matter has deteriated.

[exist]

That dude kinda creeps me out. Even though we all probably end up looking like that. I think Glenn Beck should replace Rooney.

[max americana]

I also thought he retired or died 2 years ago. Making a pact with the devil for extended life might be a factor.

[yarddog]

He could be entertaining at times but as long as I can recall he has been pretty far out in left wing wacko land.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Why even write and complain to this dinosaur? I mean seriously, conservatives need to simply shut these people out. Rooney is an old cantakerous curmungeon who should be in an assisted living home.

[exile]

If it’s true that the good die young, then Andy Looney and his classmate Helen Thomas are immortal.

[don-o]

I swear, I thought he was dead.

[OCCASparky]

Dear Andy,

Doesn't it suck knowing that you were working alongside among the greats of journalism and war correspondents during the 1940's, but you're judged as unfit to hold their jocks? Then you end up as some hack whose drivel sounds like it just came from one of your week-old pairs of DEPENDS? That must really be a horrible feeling, Andy.

Sincerely,

Everyone

[A_Former_Democrat]

Gooney Rooney

[mentor2k]

Dear Andy,

How often each year do you groom those weeds above your eyes?

[truthguy]

It's long past the time that this guy was sent out to the pasture. He's not revelant and doesn't understand what's going on.

He may have been a good newsman 3 or 4 decades ago but his time has long since past.

Andy please go away. You have been lousy for the past 30 years.

[50mm]

Zeroism Ping List Because morons like Zero should not be worshipped! "I think when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody." —Zero "Americans are clinging to guns, religion and anti-immigration sentiment because they are bitter about Washington's unfulfilled economic promises." —Zero FR Keywords: zeroism, zeroworship, messiah Please tag all relevant threads with the aforementioned keywords. To join the ping list: FReepmail 50mm with the subject line: add zero. (Stop getting pings by sending the subject line: drop zero.)

[Seven plus One]

He is about as relevant as 60 Minutes is. There's no legitimate reason for network 'news' anymore, and even less for Andy Rooney.

[pandoraou812]

I never liked the guy. He needs to retire asap IMO.

[50mm]

Senility set in a quarter century ago for the old fart.

[OrangeHoof]

I think Andy says a lot of this with tongue in cheek, just like Rush sometimes does.

He's definitely liberal and pro-Obama but I'm guessing his comments here are no different that what he's probably heard for all the decades he's worked at 60 Minutes and he's used to it. He just wants to tweak us, just like Rush tweaks libs.

I saw the segment (waiting for the Amazing Race) and he doesn't look very well. His voice seems thin. I don't think he'll be around much longer.

[pandoraou812]

Very true!