CBS’s Andy Rooney Can’t Find Anyone Who Dislikes Obama

CBS’s Andy Rooney Can’t Find Anyone Who Dislikes Obama

By Kyle Drennen (Bio | Archive)
Mon, 01/26/2009 - 14:58 ET

Andy Rooney, CBS At the end of Sunday’s 60 Minutes on CBS, commentator Andy Rooney did some of his usual thinking out loud, praising Barack Obama: "I've lived through the election of a lot of American presidents -- more than ten, I think -- and about half the people I knew at the time hated one or the other of the two candidates...Maybe I'm reading the wrong newspapers and listening to the wrong people, but I'm not hearing anyone who hates Barack Obama." Perhaps Rooney should stop listening to his own network’s fawning Obama coverage and consult the 46% of the country that did not vote for the Democratic president.

Rooney touted some of the president’s early decisions: "I think we've got ourselves a really good president with a funny name...Obama has frozen the salaries of people in the White House who are making more than $100,000...Obama has put limits on lobbyists who infest Washington. He reversed Bush's policy of making it hard to get information out of our government through the Freedom of Information Act." Rooney concluded his fawning by declaring: "Obama just looks good every time he does anything."

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Here is the full transcript of the segment:

7:50PM SEGMENT:

ANDY ROONEY: I've lived through the election of a lot of American presidents -- more than ten, I think -- and about half the people I knew at the time hated one or the other of the two candidates. You're probably too young to remember, but millions of Americans disliked Franklin Delano Roosevelt, even though he was one of our greatest presidents. I was too young to know whether I liked him or not, but my father was one of the people who hated Roosevelt. Maybe I'm reading the wrong newspapers and listening to the wrong people, but I'm not hearing anyone who hates Barack Obama. What's wrong with us, anyhow? Have we gone soft? I hope that isn't what it is, and I don't believe it is.

BARACK OBAMA: Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

JOHN ROBERTS: So help you, God?

OBAMA: So help me, God.

ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.

ROONEY: I think we've got ourselves a really good president with a funny name. Every new president makes some changes in his first few days. For example: Obama has frozen the salaries of people in the White House who are making more than $100,000. I personally think that anyone as important to be advising our president in the White House deserves more than $100,000, I don't want him getting a lot of cheap advice. Obama has put limits on lobbyists who infest Washington. He reversed Bush's policy of making it hard to get information out of our government through the Freedom of Information Act. In 1998, I tried to get the file the F.B.I. has on me -- something I said that an administration official didn't like. I didn't get the file. Maybe I'll try again. Obama just looks good every time he does anything. I hope he took time to have dinner with his wife and kids the other day.

—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.

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hmmm, why would Rooney use the word, hate?

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:08 ET by mom_rox

Rooney: Maybe I'm reading the wrong newspapers and listening to the wrong people, but I'm not hearing anyone who hates Barack Obama."

The answer is because most people do not hate Obama. Hate is a very unusual word to use regarding a political opponent. I did not vote for Obama, but I certainly don't hate him.

I think the left is so conditioned to using and hearing the word hate because of their vitriol toward Pres. George W. Bush as evidenced by BDS.

Andy, Andy

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:09 ET by StarAZ

Open that email--you didn't get the memo. Or you could come to this site...

→ StarAZ

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:15 ET by Cool Arrow

I don't hate President Obama.

Do you?

Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country - Khalil Gibran

Hate him? Heck, I would

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:20 ET by Newsbusterbrown

Hate him? Heck, I would even have a beer or play a game of basketball with him. I just wish he wasn't residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)

→ My take too NBB

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:23 ET by Cool Arrow

I've got friends just as Liberal as the President. I just wouldn't want them to be President either.

Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country - Khalil Gibran

CA

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 19:52 ET by well99

You have friends?Just kidding.I think Andy is getting things mixed up.The left is the haters.Look at the Tony Snow death watch or those that wished Nancy Reagan to slip in her bath tub.Those are haters.I dont hate Obama.I hate his politics.I hate the fact that he let Rezko screw the tenants in 11 housing complexs in his district when he was state senator.Those people went without heat and lived in squalor while Obama got money from Rezko.I dont hate liberals.I do hate leftist.There is a difference to me.

I am not to hate yet--anger, disgust maybe

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:43 ET by StarAZ

It's hard to describe. But I don't support him, think he is a phony and have since the jump, and am skeptical of everything he does.

Notice he says "hate"...

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:17 ET by c5then

I don't know about you, but the only "Hate" that I hear comes from the liberal far left loons. I don't know any conservative or even moderate who would say they "hate" someone that simply has a different politcal view.

Hey, I got the wrong "CHANGE"!

Alan Keyes / Sarah Palin - 2012

Someone should aquaint Mr. Rooney with NB...

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:52 ET by PrairieSky

Not because we at NewsBusters hate Obama, but because many of us take strong exception to his agenda and philosophy, and don't fall into a dead faint everytime he opens his mouth.

"Maybe I'm reading the wrong newspapers and listening to the wrong people, but I'm not hearing anyone who hates Barack Obama."

As absurd as this statement is, Rooney goes even further off the deep end with this bit of brilliance... "I think we've got ourselves a really good president with a funny name...Obama just looks good every time he does anything."

Obama's a good president? Based on what? He hasn't even been in office for a week yet, and the decisions that he has made in that brief time, have been questionable at best.

I think it's time for 'ol Andy to retire...

(And yes Andy, you are reading the wrong newspapers and listening to the wrong people...)

"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981

Newsflash for Andy

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:23 ET by Utherpend

Andy if you would like to hear someone that hates PEBO then feel free to contact me by e-mail, utherpend@yahoo.com. I will be happy to speak with you and arrange a Joe the Plumber type interview. But don't be surprised if I disagree with you on every issue you bring up.

"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you."

Pauline Kael

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:26 ET by rockyracoon

I guess that the liberal bubble that existed in NYC during Nixon's time, and before is still alive and well. Does not Rooney either know, or understand that over 58 million people voted for a guy, who ran maybe the worst presidential campaign in recent memory, and who in my opinion did not want to win?? What these upper east side libs lack in understanding the American people west of the Hudson river, they make up with undeserved arrogance.

I'm new to this website and enjoy reading these posts.

Well, I don't hate Barack

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:26 ET by Smartypants

Well, I don't hate Barack Obama, but I can't stand him. I think I might hate Andy Rooney though.

Andy....

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:35 ET by AgentAmerican

Just shut up and go away, Rooney. Why bother?

2010: A GOP Hill

In an Andy Rooney voice...."Have you....

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:36 ET by BEGRUNT

ever wondered why the hell I'm still here??" "Why anybody listens to anything I say?" Senile fool!!! Time to get off the stage Andy.

"If a man does his best, what else is there"?

General George S. Patton Jr.

Begrunt... LMAO! I

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:39 ET by bigtimer

Begrunt...

LMAO!

I couldn't have said it any better...I quit watching all of that show years and years ago now.

→ I can see it

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:42 ET by Cool Arrow

Andy Rooney and Robert Byrd chasing after nurses in their wheelchairs, filling in the bucket list.

Byrd doubtless inherited the list from Strom Thurmond.

Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country - Khalil Gibran

Doddering Fool

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 19:35 ET by stratman

Rooney's well on his way to not knowing when his diaper's full.

Stratman, the reason looney Rooney can't find anyone...

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 20:56 ET by goldenthroat

...is that he can't see through those eyebrows that he hasn't plucked in about 80 years!

Bwahahahahahahaaha!

"One night I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I don't know!" - Captain Spaulding (Groucho Marx) in "Animal Crackers"

No Kidding! lol Andy

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 23:33 ET by stratman

No Kidding! lol

Andy should get a clue from this guy.

Did you ever notice...

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:40 ET by Mike Bratton

...that Andy Rooney likes straw men?

I mean, he likes to build them. Makes 'em nice and fat. Stuffs their arms and legs, and puts a big, floppy hat on 'em. Then, when he knocks 'em down, I think it makes him feel good.

Now, we all know that straw men have their place. They're good to put out in big fields of corn... and wheat... and whatever else farmers like to plant in big fields. And it's the funniest thing--when Farmer Brown puts a big straw man out in the middle of a field, the birds don't land in the field and gobble up those crops.

Maybe Andy thinks that straw men can scare away intelligent debate. But, then, why would he go tear 'em right down? I don't get that part. Maybe he thinks it makes him look good to tear down those straw men. Maybe Andy thinks he's even scarier than the straw men are.

You know, it never made much sense to me to even build straw men in the first place. I mean, wouldn't it do more good to feed the straw to animals or something? It just seems like a waste of good straw. Maybe Andy Rooney hates straw.

We know he likes straw men, because he builds them all the time. But after he builds them, he just keeps tearing them down. You know, like he just did with that business about people Obama looking good, and being loved by everybody. Andy wants us to think he expected, y'know, a torch-carrying mob in the streets chasing Obama like he was Frankenstein's monster. And since he doesn't see that, it must mean that ol' Barry is destined for Mount Rushmore.

You could feed a lot of little animals with that straw, Andy.

--Mike

www.thebrattonreport.com

semus

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:52 ET by Semus

I'm sure the people who tune into 60 minutes on a regular basis, think a lot of Obama, I don't want to use the words hate or love. Those are emotions and reason doesn't enter into the emotional realm. It Figures a hard left jerk would want to use words like that (I don't care how down home and friendly they sound). What I do hate however is how irresponsible, and dangerous News presenters have become. When the Media is nothing more than an extension of government used to control thought and information, the result is never good.

Mr. Rooney I don't like Obama and I don't like you anymore.

Pavlov's Dog

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 15:58 ET by Gothampc

Unfortunately, every time Andy Rooney hears the word "Conservative" he's been trained to think of Fred Phelps. I can almost bet you that he's never actually sat down and talked with someone who is conservative.

How can he read ANYTHING

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:11 ET by SickofLibs

How can he read ANYTHING through those friggin' eyebrows? Yuck.

Don'tcha get it Andy?

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:17 ET by redmike

Don'tcha get it Andy? Liberals hate, conservatives think.

Someone should give Rooney a 6-pack and a rocking chair.

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:20 ET by jazbo

There's no fool like an old fool.

Those who believe in nothing will believe anything.

Hate? No, not yet.

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:20 ET by Texasteacher

Hate? No, not yet. I'm willing to give him a chance hoping he doesn't f*** our country up. Severely dislike and distrust, sure. Hatred of his liberal and socialistic ideology, of course. Hate is closer to nancy pelosi. She has proven without a doubt she can, will, and wants to f*** the country up.

obama sure didn't look good when he screwed up the "oaf". As for limits on lobbyists, didn't he just appoint one to a deputy secretary post?

About the Freedom of Information crap - The government shouldn't have to tell EVERYTHING to whomever wants to know. Also, 1998 was clinton's crew, so don't try to tie it to Bush's policies.

No one asked me. Anyone

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:20 ET by rbosque

No one asked me.

Anyone who thinks it's OK to let children die by abortion isn't fit to hold ANY office, forget president of the US.

Thank you for reminding

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:27 ET by Texasteacher

Thank you for reminding me...

I could never trust or follow someone who believes in rampant abortion, i.e., they don't care if I suffered and died for my mother's "choice"

Hmm...

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:21 ET by Seamus D

"Obama has put limits on lobbyists who infest Washington"

Did he do that before or after he put one in his cabinet?

I don't know anybody that

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:39 ET by RR GOP

I don't know anybody that says they hate 60 Minutes, because I can't name one person that even watches it.

One of the 24% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 89% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.

Andy forgot

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:43 ET by MCPO Airdale

Andy forgot to call me I guess.

Hate is a strong word for someone whose

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:56 ET by yobobbyb

policies threaten to undermine and destroy our way of life and our freedoms. I don't hate NEO (The One), I just loathe, detest, despise, dislike, and abhor him and everything he stands for. Other than that, he sure looks good.

BTW, did anyone else see the arm behind Rooney manipulating his upper torso? I think maybe old Andy is actually dead and is now just a hand puppet for the producer. Other than that, he sure looks good.Although it does seem like there are body parts just biting at the bit to fall off. Now that would be good TV.

"You knucklehead!" - Moe Howard

Hey Andy, You just earned the MOE HOWARD TWO-FINGER EYE POKE!

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 17:02 ET by Jayke

... for your stupid statement. WHY YOUUUUU!

ybbb... I'm laughing here

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 17:21 ET by bigtimer

ybbb...

I'm laughing here at home with the words you posted about good ol' Andy...and yet at the same time agreeing with the same emotions you described so well with your description of O at the top.

Wonderful post.

Seriously

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 18:22 ET by yobobbyb

Bigtimer, it is really hard not to hate Sam the Sham (Obama). Look at what he has accomplished or hopes to accomplish his first few days: interrogations by the Army Field Manual only, federal funding of overseas abortions, seeking a ban on space weapons. These are centered on death; potentially ours at the hands of terrorists or rogue states, and the unborn at the hands of...foreign terrorists (doctors).

If I were Pres, waterboarding would be just a start if needed to save Americans. Apparently NEO doesn't believe our lives are very valuable and thinks that offering tea and crumpets should be the extent of the horrors we visit up captured terrorists.

Ok...I hate him.

Rooney is an idiot

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 16:58 ET by slickwillie2001

Hey Andy, -Safe Harbor!. Arr-arr-arr.

Hey Andy! SIXTY MILLION AMERICANS DID NOT VOTE FOR BARRKY ...

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 17:00 ET by Jayke

... and that includes ME. Why don't you ask me how I feel about BARRKY if you have a couple of hours.

What a coincidence, I can't

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 17:13 ET by Smartypants

What a coincidence, I can't find anyone that likes Andy Rooney.

Dadburnit smarty...

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 20:16 ET by jdlybrand

newsisblues

You beat me to my post!

Andy Rooney Can’t Find Anyone Who Dislikes Obama

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 17:25 ET by Andante

Hey Andy, I dislike Obama but not for any reasons you would understand.

I'm guessing the new Lib Speak Lexicon shows:

...to dislike

judgemental racist

nyuk nyuk nyuk

-------------------------------------

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Thomas Jefferson

Formalities

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 17:52 ET by jdubya

This is what happens when you have some dinosaur still employed, sometimes mixing his stool softeners with Andes Breath Mints right in the beginning of some long meeting, only to find out he mistook his grand daughters PVC bondage underwear for his Depends.

Rooney obviously has lost the last few marbles in his head. He is equating "hate" with "love".

Ohh, that silly old wartbag, God I luv'em.

conservatives

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 18:25 ET by sawing batta

i think Andy just provided proof that Conservatives are not the party of "hate". He cant find any people who "hate" obama.

But i bet he knows a lot of lefties who "hate" GWB.

andy rooney

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 19:03 ET by jessieH

Jessie R. Hamby The poor man has finally gone senile. I dislike Obama. Not the man, just his ideas.

Senile?

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 20:20 ET by jdlybrand

newsisblues

He's been dead too long to be senile. Still wondering why the embalming fluid hasn't taken effect on Rooney, Larry King, Helen Thomas, and Keith Richards. Oh yeah... and Baba Wawa.

Maybe no one will remember this

Tue, 01/27/2009 - 07:13 ET by Chattychito

I had these two pictures one of Keith Richards and one of Tammy Fay Baker what ever it was, just before her death. And you know I couldn't tell them apart. it was a laugh, Morphine sure does take its toll.

I lost them with a hard drive crash (no Back up) anyone got a copy

Rooney Toons!

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 19:51 ET by Crash

That's because conservatives don't behave as poorly as most liberals Andy. We like other people until we're given cause not to, that's why we know that terrorists aren't "freedom fighters."

Conversely, your gang of rapscallions bashed President George W Bush before he went to his first inaugural bash, did so for eight years and still takes lame shots.

"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." Hilmar von Campe

"Maybe I'm reading the

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 20:47 ET by Trix Rabbit

"Maybe I'm reading the wrong newspapers and listening to the wrong people..."

Well, gee whiz, Andy! That certainly passed the D.U.H. test!

Now, if someone would take this fossil back to the Happy Times Retirement Home, he will have his sitz bath and a bowl of rice pudding waiting for him.

For the MSM: In your pomp and all your glory, you're a poorer man than me. As you lick the boots of death born out of fear. Ian Anderson "Wind up"

If Rooney can't find anyone

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 20:48 ET by pitter43

If Rooney can't find anyone that dislikes obama, he isn't looking very hard.

Andy Rooney couldn't find his _____ with both hands

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 20:51 ET by R D Helm

And apparently the vote totals from last November have eluded his notice.

-Dave

“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -While there is still time.

Does the White House staff

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 21:22 ET by goldbough

Does the White House staff normally get a raise with a new president? I really have no idea about it, but it seems like something to make yourself look good right away. There's no way Obama got to his office and then suddenly decided to freeze salaries and provide for more abortions overseas. He knew exactly what he would do for the first few days.

Andy, will Obama still look good if he signs legislation mandating your salary? He may look nice, but it's what he does that matters.

The opposite result

Mon, 01/26/2009 - 22:28 ET by AuH2o

I was going to try Andy's experiment by asking several people if they hated Bush.

I didn't even have to try very hard. I turned on CBS (D), ABC (D), NBC (D), PBS (D), NPR (D), CNN (D), PMSNBC (D) I even picked up a NY Times (D), LA Times (D), Chi Trib(D), Denver Post (D), Seattle Times (D), USA Today(D), Time (D), Newsweek (D) and a People (D) magazine.

Lo and behold, they all hated Bush. I didn't even have to look very hard either.

I wonder

Tue, 01/27/2009 - 07:08 ET by Chattychito

I wonder if Andy Rooney ever took time to contemplate this simple verse of scripture

LuKe 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!

Obama should be thinking about this verse that is for sure.

You've got to get out more...

Tue, 01/27/2009 - 10:46 ET by wyogator

This is the same as some other New Yorkers (can't recall the original source, I think it was some media folk) who were shocked that Reagan was elected by such a landslide because "they didn't know anyone" who voted for him.

Rooney is the same as most libs who claim to support freedom of speech while really only acknowledging or accepting speech that agrees with them...I think Rooney is intolerant:)

He conveniently overlooks the fact that some 50 million Americans chose not to vote for Obama. Of course, in his mind, he probably considers all of those racist and believes Obama should have ascended to his high station by acclamation!

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