Two Extraordinary Men

Andy Rooney Reflects On The Passing Of William F. Buckley And W. C. Heinz

(CBS)  The following is a weekly 60 Minutes commentary by CBS News correspondent Andy Rooney.

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While I understand that it is not the kind of information for which you listen to me here on 60 Minutes, I am compelled to tell you that two old friends of mine have died and I am not a good enough writer to describe how bad I feel about them being gone.

One you probably knew, or knew of anyway. The other you probably didn't.

You would have known William F. Buckley because Bill Buckley was the most articulate political conservative in this country. You loved him or you hated him depending on which side you were on, but you were in no doubt about who he was or what he believed about almost anything.

To say Bill was "Republican" was to make him sound like a leftwing Communist. He was far to the right of being just "Republican." I think of myself as being neither Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, but I don't offhand remember any political issue that Bill Buckley and I agreed on. So how come we liked each other? How come I feel so sad that Bill's gone? Well, he was a good guy, that's why.

My less well known friend who died recently was one of the best newspaper reporters who ever lived, W. C. Heinz. He was "Bill Heinz" to friends and he had a lot of them.

It's hard to say why - or hard for me anyway - but many of the best newspaper reporters started at their newspapers in the sports department. I think offhand of Grantland Rice, Red Smith, Stanley Woodward, John Lardner, Joe Leibling and Jimmy Cannon. Bill was the bright star in the sports department of a great newspaper, long gone now, the original "New York Sun." I don't know why great newspapers go out of business but they do.

I knew Bill Heinz as a correspondent in World War II. We traveled with the First US Army Press Camp and often went up to the front together looking for a story. They were never hard to find in those days but you had to be careful not to be killed getting them.

Bill and I did so many dangerous things together more than 60 years ago that we formed a permanent bond of friendship and it seems strange and extraordinarily sad for me that Bill's gone now.

He'll be remembered by newspaper reporters as one the best of there ever was. He'd like that.

[house015]

I only wish I''d had the chance to meet these gentleman. Buckley: It''s nice to see there are still people out there that can agree to disagree on some points, and continue being friends. Heinz: A true old friend is beyond wealth and words. RIP.

[lorenzen6]

My take is that he is remembering old friends. My age group is losing friends also now. The passing of friends is very real and very sad.

It is also sad when friends are murdered as Judith File was in Okla City in 1962 and the state of Oklahoma does nothing now that DNA is available to try and solve her vicious, undeserved murder.

Let us all remember those people who have been our friends and family and are no longer with us!

[rushlimpdrug]

Buckley was a high society redneck.
With his stupid accent it made it hard to fit him into a trailer park which is where he deserved to be.
Buckley was a good guy?
Really?
Speak of his accomplishments.
Guess it is great journalism when in one sentence
you can say he was, "a good guy"
How bout saying he was one of "the good ol'' boys"
in the good ol'' boy system.

[matter77]

ronin1940 - you''re full of feces. You don''t have a clue what you''re talking about, ...Calvinism. Have you considered the possibility that your brain is actually in distress, from a tumor, a lesion, or worse?

[ronin1940]

May God *** you as well as the soul of your "buddy" Willa F Buckley/ you both are Calvinists that askew the basics of humanity.. namely that some are "Chosen" while the rest of us are reduced to "socially constructed *******" in your privileged world. I always admire yu Andy, bit no longer.. you are just another "media ***" of the oligarchy that practices Calvinism to rule the rest of us... May God *** you all indeed for your choosing to be part of America''s problem rather than its solution.. the repudiation of John Calvin''s theology of the rich. the social construct established by the founding fathers; the theology of the Calvin where some are chosen and the rest are not. I fully believe that there are luxury condo''s in hell for your ilk. Enjoy the accommodations Andy. You should switch to FOX where such social definitions are practices as a religion.. may a just God *** them also. Burn Andy, burn.

[dogrunner78]

Nice job, Andy. Although I, too, seldom, if ever, came down on the same side of a political question as William F. Buckley, I always respected the way he conducted himself and appreciated his obvious intelligence and ability to articulate his opinions so well. And I always thought I also would like him personally if I ever had the opportunity to meet him because he also was always respectful of others. I, too, felt sadness at the news of his death, in spite of the fact that I didn''t know him. He, like you, conducted himself with integrity and honor.

Thank you!

[redlegbeck]

Tonight was one of your best that I have seen. Thank you.
I am a journalism watcher and have becom very cinical and jaded about journalism today. It is very commercial and sorry to say you are one of those that have made journalistic integrety and oxymoron. Your friend that you admire are among the best and I feel your pain.
Try to live up to their example of speaking their heart no matter what.
With respect. An old soldier.
Mike