10 Plus 1: Andy Rooney Gives Us A Few Minutes

This week's "10 Plus 1" subject is Andy Rooney, who is now in his 27th season doing "A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney" on "60 Minutes." Rooney has a list of accomplishments too long to do service to here, but a few of the highlights are the national newspaper column he's written for Tribune Media Services since 1979, his 13 books, three Emmy Awards (plus a Lifetime Achievement Emmy), and his Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

So, what do you do for a living?

I am a writer. I write for a living.

What is not being covered enough at CBS News?

The news is not being reported in any comprehensive way by CBS News. The world cannot be covered in a very short half hour.

What’s the strangest thing that has ever happened to you on the job?

I got fired.

If you had 10 broken fingers and no gas in the car, which colleague would you want to be there?

All the other "60 Minutes" correspondents use a car service so I'd call one of them for the number. I'd use a pencil clutched in my palm instead of a broken finger to dial. I have never used a car service or run out of gas and do not anticipate either happening.

If you were not in news, what would you be doing?

I'd probably be out of work. I do a lot of woodworking, making furniture, but I'm not really good enough to make a living at it. I couldn't build a house because I don't do plumbing or electrical work. I wouldn't be a bank clerk, a toll collector, a school crossing guard, a White House press secretary.

What is the biggest change at CBS during the time you’ve been here?

The emphasis used to be on collecting and then distributing the news. The emphasis now is on saving money. CBS management is saving money better than the reduced news staff is collecting and distributing the news.

What are the last three books you’ve read or the last three movies you’ve seen?

I write more books than I read. I recently tried to read the Koran but found it more obtuse than the Bible. It probably has to be read in its original Arabic and I don't speak or read Arabic. The last movie I saw was "Good Night And Good Luck," the Ed Murrow movie by George Clooney. It was thin on Fred Friendly's part in Murrow's success, but overall, true, good and entertaining.

What is your first memory of TV News?

I forget but I remember watching Doug Edwards, Winston Burdett, Ed Murrow, Eric Sevareid, Dallas Townsend, William Shirer, Charles Collingwood, Howard K Smith, Larry LeSueur, Robert Nathan, H.V. Kaltenborn, Elmer Davis, George Herman, Alex Kendrick, David Schoenbrun. It seems likely that I've forgotten a few.

Would you want your child to go into the news business?

Three of my four children ARE in the news business. Son Brian is an ABC News correspondent. Daughter Emily has her own program, "Greater Boston," which is broadcast for half an hour five nights a week. Daughter Ellen works as a photographer in London and often places photos in newspapers and news magazines.

Who is the most fascinating person you’ve covered and who is the biggest jerk?

In 1967 I wrote and produced a one hour documentary called "Barry Goldwater's Arizona" and was surprised to find what a bright and decent fellow he was. I didn't vote for him but he became a good friend. As for the biggest jerk, it may have been the time I interviewed myself for a "60 Minutes" segment.

Normally we pose one question from a reader for this feature, but we got so many good questions for Andy, we decided to get his answers to three. Here they are:

Who should be the next anchor of the CBS Evening News?

I should be the next CBS News anchor.

Over the years you have painted yourself as not quite a big fan of computers. How do you feel about the CBS Public Eye blog and its policy of transparency? Is that a good use of technology?

I have never read the CBS Public Eye blog so I have no opinion. I'm trying to find out what blog means. It seems vastly over-rated as a communications tool.

Do you think candidates who want to run for President should be required to pass an intelligence and psychological exam?

Voters should be required to take an IQ test. The IQ score of the voter would register along with his or her vote. The candidate who got the highest total of IQ scores would be the winner.