Andy Loves His Job

Andy Rooney Ponders Work

(CBS) 


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

---

It's a fiction, unsupported by fact that we work to eat. Most of us work because work gives us more satisfaction than anything else we do. Eating is good, sleeping is good and playing is good but work is best. My work is writing and I'm happiest when I'm doing that.

There have been statistics I've read recently that indicate that more than ten million Americans are out of work. Well, I'm, suspicious of that figure. The fact is there's a lot more work that needs to be done than there are people who want to do it. If someone doesn't have a job, it probably isn't because there are no jobs that need doing. It's more likely to be because the jobs available aren't the kind of work a lot of unemployed people want to do.

I had several jobs years ago that were hard work and all I looked forward to was lunch and the five o'clock whistle so I could stop working and go home but I didn't hate work. Sometimes hard work felt better than sitting here, writing feels.

I worked in a paper mill for several summers when I was in college and to give you some idea of how long ago that was, at the end of a week's work, I stood in line to collect my pay and went home with $18.00, which was 45 cents an hour. I make more than twice as much as that now but whatever it is, I probably don't enjoy it anymore. I never see the money I make the way I used to see that $18 in cash either.

The highest minimum wage is in the state of Washington - $8.07 an hour. The lowest is in Kansas where some companies pay as little as $2.65 an hour.

The minimum wage here in New York State is $7.15 an hour but I paid 35 cents for an apple this morning.

Writing is pretty special work - or I like to think it is anyway. The trouble with writing is you're always working. I hate myself for it but I'll be at a party and I'll hear someone express an interesting idea and I'll think to myself "Gee I could use that."

You have to have an ego if you're a writer too - it's egotistical to think that anyone else cares what you think and put down on paper. I have an ego but it's under control. I usually know when what I write isn't any good.

I try to avoid that but I'm not always successful.

[sweiss72]

Andy, get real. "We don''t have a job because it is not the kind of work we want to do??????" I was laid off and am on unemployment. YES, I have applied to jobs not in my usual field of advertising. At one place of business, I was offered 3 hours - per week! National stores with bull''s eye''s logos don''t even call you back. These companies don''t even pay you enough to get off of unemployment. I am 54, female and have had three interviews in five months - there are jobs to apply for - but getting that call back is few and far between. Those with jobs tend to forget how it is to be without. Show a little compassion.

[sweiss72]

Andy, get real. "We don''t have a job because it is not the kind of work we want to do??????" I was laid off and am on unemployment. YES, I have applied to jobs not in my usual field of advertising. At one place of business, I was offered 3 hours - per week! National stores with bull''s eye''s logos don''t even call you back. These companies don''t even pay you enough to get off of unemployment. I am 54, female and have had three interviews in five months - there are jobs to apply for - but getting that call back is few and far between. Those with jobs tend to forget how it is to be without. Show a little compassion.

[sweiss72]

Andy, get real. "We don''t have a job because it is not the kind of work we want to do??????" I was laid off and am on unemployment. YES, I have applied to jobs not in my usual field of advertising. At one place of business, I was offered 3 hours - per week! National stores with bull''s eye''s logos don''t even call you back. These companies don''t even pay you enough to get off of unemployment. I am 54, female and have had three interviews in five months - there are jobs to apply for - but getting that call back is few and far between. Those with jobs tend to forget how it is to be without. Show a little compassion.

[fish132948]

f#$%^& you rooney
time to retire
people all over are out of work
being ripped of there 401 k by greedy ***
and you tell me im to lazy to work a certain job
60 minutes sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sweiss72]

Andy, get real. "We don''t have a job because it is not the kind of work we want to do??????" I was laid off and am on unemployment. YES, I have applied to jobs not in my usual field of advertising. At one place of business, I was offered 3 hours - per week! National stores with bull''s eye''s logos don''t even call you back. These companies don''t even pay you enough to get off of unemployment. I am 54, female and have had three interviews in five months - there are jobs to apply for - but getting that call back is few and far between. Those with jobs tend to forget how it is to be without. Show a little compassion.

[sweiss72]

Andy, get real. "We don''t have a job because it is not the kind of work we want to do??????" I was laid off and am on unemployment. YES, I have applied to jobs not in my usual field of advertising. At one place of business, I was offered 3 hours - per week! National stores with bull''s eye''s logos don''t even call you back. These companies don''t even pay you enough to get off of unemployment. I am 54, female and have had three interviews in five months - there are jobs to apply for - but getting that call back is few and far between. Those with jobs tend to forget how it is to be without. Show a little compassion, I used to love my work too.

[hypnotoad72]

--CONTINUED--

It''s not a matter of "Americans wouldn''t pick lettuce for even $50/hr" as some have said. Work is about contributing and earning and being more than a slave. We''ve all heard the stories of people working three part time jobs. Maybe not the entire story, but politicians applauded them for doing so, missing the point about "family values", which are important too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj-vIOMtVY0
Another interesting commercial - but that was made in the 1970s, and nothing good came from that decade - right?

Andy, may I ask, what is your position regarding the topic of "offshoring"?

[hypnotoad72]

Most Americans want work that allows them to pay for the bills AND allow for family time too. Families are important, yes?

http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade40.html
(A great informative site for America''s 20th century, and puts wages in perspective.)

A professional writer is something a lot of people would want to do. There''s not much call for that. Perhaps that''s why most people blogging online can''t surpass a mentally defunct dachshund when it comes to their writing quality, and some of them state they want to be professional writers too.

Indeed, is writing really a job? How about a musician? Lawyers think musicians aren''t doing any proper work. At least the couple I''ve listened to. Morning radio show disc jockeys rant and whine about jobs as well. I would love to work 20 hours a week ranting my opinions on the radio. They get paid really well. Even I would wake up at 4AM to rant about how everyone else is lazy. I can''t think of a better job than that. But I digress. Is doing a job that involves spinning and lying to set a criminal free a real job?

(TO BE CONTINUED)

[sweiss72]

Andy, get real. "We don''t have a job because it is not the kind of work we want to do??????" I was laid off and am on unemployment. YES, I have applied to jobs not in my usual field of advertising. At one place of business, I was offered 3 hours - per week! National stores with bull''s eye''s logos don''t even call you back. These companies don''t even pay you enough to get off of unemployment. I am 54, female and have had three interviews in five months - there are jobs to apply for - but getting that call back is few and far between. Those with jobs tend to forget how it is to be without. Show a little compassion, I used to love my work too.

[jdthames-2009]

WHY hasn''t someone gotten a hold of Andy''s eyebrows, yet? He obviously has a make up artist - shame on her for not taming those caterpillars dangling from his brow. I grew up hating 60 minuts as a child because if it ran late, then I couldn''t see all of Walt Disney on Sunday nights before I had to go to bed. (You know, when a Presidential address meant you voluntarily took your bath before bed because there were only 4 channels. Fortunately, now we have over 200 cable/satellite channels to choose from or even stuff stored on TIVO.) Andy''s starting to remind me of the old guys in the balcony on the Muppet show: furry eyebrows, no neck and lots of opinions to share - some entertaining, some not. Now that I''m older, I watch 60 Minutes to keep abreast of current events and worldly occurences. However, as much as I look forward to the show, and Andy, too, I have a hard time focusing on the content because I''m waiting to see one of those caterpillars start creeping down Andy''s face, or just fall into his lap. Either way, I''m worried for Andy''s safety! If someone doesn''t tackle those woolly boogers, they might gow so long they may accidentally poke Andy in the eye. If Andy can''t see his laptop, he can''t write his entertaining editorials. Save Andy - trim the bushes! I love Andy, Jennifer Thames

[hypnotoad72]

sweiss72 - your spamming isn''t doing anyone any good. Especially yourself.

fish132948 - calm down. Even as tangential as my responses were, I didn''t stray as far off as you had. And with less emotion too.

[sweiss72]

Andy, get real. "We don''t have a job because it is not the kind of work we want to do??????" I was laid off and am on unemployment. YES, I have applied to jobs not in my usual field of advertising. At one place of business, I was offered 3 hours - per week! National stores with bull''s eye''s logos don''t even call you back. These companies don''t even pay you enough to get off of unemployment. I am 54, female and have had three interviews in five months - there are jobs to apply for - but getting that call back is few and far between. Those with jobs tend to forget how it is to be without. Show a little compassion, I used to love my work too.

[sweiss72]

Andy, get real. "We don''t have a job because it is not the kind of work we want to do??????" I was laid off and am on unemployment. YES, I have applied to jobs not in my usual field of advertising. At one place of business, I was offered 3 hours - per week! National stores with bull''s eye''s logos don''t even call you back. These companies don''t even pay you enough to get off of unemployment. I am 54, female and have had three interviews in five months - there are jobs to apply for - but getting that call back is few and far between. Those with jobs tend to forget how it is to be without. Show a little compassion, I used to love my work too.

[eileenw3]

You must have been in economics class with Senator McCain, both of you are OUT OF TOUCH with what is going on in the world. Have you heard of all of the lay-offs? Businesses closing? I am one of the millions out of work, I am in touch with the economy first hand. I worked in Mortgage lending and have looked for all types of employment from stores to waitressing etc. there are NO JOBS available with or wothout a degree.
People such as yourself should get out in the real world, and to think you work for a news program...Get your head out of your -----.

[c-squared6]

I''m offended, Andy. You may fondly remember making 45 cents an hour, but how well do you think you''d fare working in Kansas today for $2.65 an hour? Even New York''s $7.15 is a disgrace. Those aren''t even close to being living wages. Why don''t you rant about how mean-spirited those minimum wages are. How sweet it must be in your ivory tower where you can feel free to put down people who are unemployed. Just because there are good $2.65/hour jobs in Kansas doesn''t mean the unemployed can even afford to uproot their families and move there to enjoy such bounty. What''s next, a monologue on how stupid the victims of Hurricane Katrina were for not having the foresight to live in houseboats? And one other thing: Where was your personal filter for tonight''s piece? This was one of those times when it wasn''t very successful.

[mtmerrylee]

Andy''s comments were absolutely insensitive to the thousands if not millions who have or soon will find themselves unemployed with NO jobs of any kind available. He''s an adorable, much loved icon of the OLD society and it''s time that he retired from making commentary the present existence which he clearly does NOT understand or relate to.

[disulfate]

Andy, I had to laugh when you were telling us you now
make more than twice what you made when working at the paper mill. As you already know....that is the way lawyers talk...not lying, but not tell the whole
truth. Politicians do that as well.

[dtdmhgue]

I''ve heard many silly comments by Andy Rooney but the one today about our not wanting the jobs that are available is irresponsible "reporting." I''ve been trying for 18 months to get even a low paying job to supplement my retirement, which is now not sufficient to meet our family needs. Even supermarkets will not call me back because of my "impressive" resume. And don''t figure your 45 cents/hour enables you to talk down to us; I made $100 a month working full time six days a week when I was 16 and have had to work my way up.

[captdd]

Andy, you old (very rich) ***; I believe that you are completely out of touch... and that paper mill you used to work for, I bet you never got laid off like millions of Americans have been this year!

Time for you to get out of your office and take a road trip (to reality) across the US!

[tsgtveteran]

I agree and I disagree. I agree because you have to do what you have to do. Employment makes this country function...those that refuse to work a job commensurate with their education/experience end up collecting unemployment, welfare, food stamps...etc at the expense of the willing to work taxpayer. I am a single father of three young boys getting ZERO child support and I was recently Force Shaped (manning cuts)out of the service after 12 years active duty. I had no idea where I would get a job, so I ended up making donuts for 5.15 an hour until I found other employment. Trust me, McDonalds, Hardees, Jiffy mini-Mart are all willing to hire. It wasnt hard to get a "job"...a "career" yes, but a "job"...No. However, the disagreement comes in with the fact that I ended up using about 4.00 an hour of that in childcare and got no family time at all. BTW, I am now a Correctional Officer and it took me 6 months to get in the door and I still make $15K less per year from what I made in the service.

[goldinluver]

You are out of touch as is most of the media. I would not normally watch your show, but the Simpsons were not on because of some sports thing. I have a BSN and live in Florida. I have been searching for a job for about 3 months. I have applied everywhere, including grocery stores, fast food establishments, medical offices, hospitals, senior centers, daycares, you name it I applied. So where are these jobs? I am down to a total of $9.00 to my name. I volunteer for a senior organization, a child advocacy group and the american Cancer Society. I am not a lazy person looking for a gravy job or easy money. I just want to work and make some money to live. I am borrowing money from family just to pay my car insurance so I can job search. My sister has stage 4 cancer and I really would like to stay and help her. I need a job, so where is the paper mill and will they hire me? Please stop talking about things you don''t have a clue about. Go to your member''s only club and tell them your jokes maybe they will be able to relate.

[goldinluver]

You are out of touch as is most of the media. I would not normally watch your show, but the Simpsons were not on because of some sports thing. I have a BSN and live in Florida. I have been searching for a job for about 3 months. I have applied everywhere, including grocery stores, fast food establishments, medical offices, hospitals, senior centers, daycares, you name it I applied. So where are these jobs? I am down to a total of $9.00 to my name. I volunteer for a senior organization, a child advocacy group and the american Cancer Society. I am not a lazy person looking for a gravy job or easy money. I just want to work and make some money to live. I am borrowing money from family just to pay my car insurance so I can job search. My sister has stage 4 cancer and I really would like to stay and help her. I need a job, so where is the paper mill and will they hire me? Please stop talking about things you don''t have a clue about. Go to your member''s only club and tell them your jokes maybe they will be able to relate.

[goldinluver]

You are out of touch as is most of the media. I would not normally watch your show, but the Simpsons were not on because of some sports thing. I have a BSN and live in Florida. I have been searching for a job for about 3 months. I have applied everywhere, including grocery stores, fast food establishments, medical offices, hospitals, senior centers, daycares, you name it I applied. So where are these jobs? I am down to a total of $9.00 to my name. I volunteer for a senior organization, a child advocacy group and the american Cancer Society. I am not a lazy person looking for a gravy job or easy money. I just want to work and make some money to live. I am borrowing money from family just to pay my car insurance so I can job search. My sister has stage 4 cancer and I really would like to stay and help her. I need a job, so where is the paper mill and will they hire me? Please stop talking about things you don''t have a clue about. Go to your member''s only club and tell them your jokes maybe they will be able to relate.

[goldinluver]

You are out of touch as is most of the media. I would not normally watch your show, but the Simpsons were not on because of some sports thing. I have a BSN and live in Florida. I have been searching for a job for about 3 months. I have applied everywhere, including grocery stores, fast food establishments, medical offices, hospitals, senior centers, daycares, you name it I applied. So where are these jobs? I am down to a total of $9.00 to my name. I volunteer for a senior organization, a child advocacy group and the american Cancer Society. I am not a lazy person looking for a gravy job or easy money. I just want to work and make some money to live. I am borrowing money from family just to pay my car insurance so I can job search. My sister has stage 4 cancer and I really would like to stay and help her. I need a job, so where is the paper mill and will they hire me? Please stop talking about things you don''t have a clue about. Go to your member''s only club and tell them your jokes maybe they will be able to relate.

[balabust-2009]

Andy:
Get real about people out of work. Yes, there is a lot of work, but if you follow the news, you know that people are being laid off right and left. Maybe you need to leave your office and talk to people out of work. You may have to change your closed mind.
P.S. I am a contemporary of yours, and I know where your ideas come from, but they don''t apply now.

[voyagerla]

Do all of us a favor CBS and get this out of touch old fashioned, insensitive old *** off of your show. He is offensive to unemployed people and in the face of the horrendous downturn this country is in he is totally offensive and insensitive. I don''t want to be accused of ageism, but he should be retired. To let him spew this ridiculousness is irresponsible on the part of your show. I enjoy your show as informative and investigative. But his comments this time are completely offensive.

[califradmt]

Time for that last 10 minutes of the most important show on T.V. to be given to someone who has more to talk about than himself. Andy, you are an old shoe, as you know. A year ago, what you spoke of tonight might have been received without thought but right now, the public needs to know that the world out there understands that the want ads in the local newspapers are a quarter of what they were 20 years ago. Foreclosures cover several pages in the classified. And Andy is basically telling us we are a nation of whiners who are "psycholgically unemployed." I recall working in a rancher''s office and when a white man wanted to apply for work, the reason given by the rancher for not hiring him was "he wouldn''t fit in with the Mexican workers." The white guy would have been blackballed by the immigrants. Andy, time for you to retire old buddy.

[mwtalley-2009]

Mr. Rooney,

I have enjoyed your commentaries for years. However,it seems that you went out of your way to offend people tonight. I am 48 years old and been out of work for 14 months. I was a General Manager of a bookstore and I earned $35,000 a year doing so. I have sent out 100''s of resumes with no replies. I have a 2nd interview tomorrow with Goodwill as an Asst. Mgr. for $10 an hr. That will hardly cover the cost of my families'' childcare which will be $400 a month for 2 kids. My wife makes $12 an hour. We have had to go to food banks. DON"T TELL US WE DON"T WANT TO WORK! Please be more informed before you rip the unemployed!!!!!

[mwtalley-2009]

I made an error--
I just wrote that I pay $400 a month in childcare. I meant $400 a week. That is $1600 a month. That will cancel out what I would make at that job. What do you suggest Andy? No one will watch my kids for free! My unemployment is about to run out. I need to take what is offered. I am also looking for a night job but have not been able to find one either. This is not the 1930''s or 40''s. Things are more expensive. We live in So. Calif. where rents, gas everything is more expensive! If you have it all figured out you TELL ME!!! If you can make those comments than I am sure you can tell everyone in trouble financially or those who lost their homes & savings to theives what to do. How about those on fixed income who lost a 3rd or more of their retirement? It''s easy to spill those comments from your ivory tower making at least six figures. I respect how you made it, but don''t put down those of us still struggling to make it. I think you should meet with some o us who are unemployed. I also believe that you owe us an apology on air!!!

[mwtalley-2009]

I made an error--
I just wrote that I pay $400 a month in childcare. I meant $400 a week. That is $1600 a month. That will cancel out what I would make at that job. What do you suggest Andy? No one will watch my kids for free! My unemployment is about to run out. I need to take what is offered. I am also looking for a night job but have not been able to find one either. This is not the 1930''s or 40''s. Things are more expensive. We live in So. Calif. where rents, gas everything is more expensive! If you have it all figured out you TELL ME!!! If you can make those comments than I am sure you can tell everyone in trouble financially or those who lost their homes & savings to theives what to do. How about those on fixed income who lost a 3rd or more of their retirement? It''s easy to spill those comments from your ivory tower making at least six figures. I respect how you made it, but don''t put down those of us still struggling to make it. I think you should meet with some o us who are unemployed. I also believe that you owe us an apology on air!!!

[mwtalley-2009]

I made an error--
I just wrote that I pay $400 a month in childcare. I meant $400 a week. That is $1600 a month. That will cancel out what I would make at that job. What do you suggest Andy? No one will watch my kids for free! My unemployment is about to run out. I need to take what is offered. I am also looking for a night job but have not been able to find one either. This is not the 1930''s or 40''s. Things are more expensive. We live in So. Calif. where rents, gas everything is more expensive! If you have it all figured out you TELL ME!!! If you can make those comments than I am sure you can tell everyone in trouble financially or those who lost their homes & savings to theives what to do. How about those on fixed income who lost a 3rd or more of their retirement? It''s easy to spill those comments from your ivory tower making at least six figures. I respect how you made it, but don''t put down those of us still struggling to make it. I think you should meet with some o us who are unemployed. I also believe that you owe us an apology on air!!!

[skeezix06]

Speak for yourself McGurk. Your life is centered around work at a job that you love. I should also take a moment to point out that there is a big difference between briefly working a physical labor job 40 years or more ago while you were in college and spending the last 40 years or more a job that requires physical labor. The idea that you are at a party and "work" all the time by thinking "gee, I could use that" is not impressive.

Those of us who think our lives are anchored by our families really do work to eat and keep a roof over our heads. Its not the main reason for our existence. Those of us who haven''t had our jobs shipped overseas really are tired, overworked, and stressed out. Those whose jobs have been shipped overseas during the last 15 years or more are also tired from constantly struggling to stay employed and stressed out.

I usually enjoy your spot on 60 Minutes but tonight''s segment was more like salt to the wound.

[c_coggins]

Mr. Rooney -- Among those 10 million unemployed Americans you so cavalierly said don''t want to work are the thousands of newspaper employees whose jobs have evaporated since the first of this year (estimates range from about 6,000 to 12,000-plus, which would be more than 20 percent of the industry). Who has jobs now for all these displaced journalists, "60 Minutes"?
By the way, papers are shrinking their news holes too, which means they are buying less newsprint. That job at the paper mill you remember so fondly soon may be gone too.

[nownthen-2009]

You all should read what is written, he didn''t say people didn''t want to work, he said that people don''t want to do the jobs that are available. I was a mechanic I don''t want a job washing windows for one half the pay. If I was starving I would wash the windows though.

VOTE FOR NO INCUMBENTS!

[cantfindajob]

Mr. Rooney,
"Not wanting to do the jobs that are available"? Have you been laid off from your job recently? What kind of job do you think you can find, and at your age? Let''s face it, finding a job when you are a senior is not easy, not matter what jobs you think are available. I have worked as a secretary for 38 years and was laid off five months ago. Most of the jobs available are jobs that I am NOT QUALIFIED to do. Here is a list of jobs available in my area: sign painter, laborer, technician, carpet installer... Not only cannot I not do the job, I am not qualified. Every open position in my field has over 300 applicants. If I am lucky to get an interview, I am not the chosen candidate. Maybe because of my age (I am in my 50''s) and maybe not, but I didn''t have a problem finding a job when I was younger. I don''t have anyway of proving it is age discrimination. Mr. Rooney, I would like to see you go out and find a job somewhere else doing what you are qualified to do and able to do. If you aren''t out there looking for a job in these times, I don''t believe you are qualified to be making such comments.

[tim898]

This week, a worried America watched your show. This month, Midwestern families who%u2019ve lived responsibly and prudently for generations had to bail out people from New York (700 Billion, enslaving their children to debt to other countries) who were stupid and greedy, or else %u2018we%u2019d lose our jobs%u2019.

So, on the edge of a %u2018Depression%u2019 (according to CBS News), you%u2019ve got the gall to kick people when they%u2019re down, if they lost a job and are terrified by what CBS News tells them.

Andy, we%u2019d all love our jobs if we had security making big bucks talking about the pencils in our drawer, like you.

Your comments were nothing more than the thinly disguised %u2018jobs Americans won%u2019t do%u2019 cheap labor propaganda , an intellectually lazy mantra among the elite who got us into this mess in the first place.

If you ever wondered why people believed that internet hoax about you a few years back, it%u2019s because people have, from time to time, seen this side of you. Only there was nothing in that hoax, that was worse than what you said last night. There%u2019s no excuse for people making up things other people say %u2013 but in your case, they really don%u2019t need to.

[call210]

I am glad to see that I''m not the only unemployed American who was offended by Andy Rooney''s comment that we don''t want to do the jobs available. I am college educated, with more than 10 years experience in the journalism field. Yes, I know there are plenty of jobs available, but many of the employers are looking for someone who won''t bolt the moment they finally get that elusive ''better paying job''. Unemployment ran out months ago, and that additional unemployment has also expired. I am willing to take a job that pays much less than what I was making 15 months ago, but I can''t if the employer won''t give me the time of day, or tell me I''m overqualified. I can''t even get a part-time job at Gymboree.

[tim898]

Viewers can consider Andy''s remarks New York''s ''Thank You'' for the 700 billion they took from us this month, to ''save jobs''.

You''d think the New York elite would be a little more humble this month, but it just isn''t in their nature. Arrogance is the only thing they know.

[julianatodd]

Shame on you Andy Rooney. Jobs are out there, but we don''t WANT to do them? How in the world would you know?
When was the last time you had to look for a job? Since October 1, 2008, I''ve applied for 150. I don''t think you realize an employer won''t hire me just because I''m out of a job. If I apply for a dish washing position at a local restaurant, he won''t hire me. I''m over qualified and I''m over 50.
I, wish he would. Maybe I won''t loose my house. I''ve already lost my health insurance.
Andy, take a good look at America. I don''t think we''re so totally fascinated by the number of books your receive that you don''t want. Or gifts you are sent that you make fun of, not only the gift, but the sender.
Good for you, having a job you love and not loosing it. I can''t say the same for myself.
Just SHAME on YOU.

[jlnies]

Mr. Rooney''s commentary Sunday night was so egregious, insulting and out of touch that one can only conclude that the 60 Minutes news directors that allowed it to be broadcast were derelict in their duties. I fail to see the relevance of Mr. Rooney''s depression-era $18/week paper mill job to the MILLIONS of professional, educated Americans who have lost their jobs is this deregulated, greed-fueled financial meltdown. Mr. Rooney, you not only embarrass yourself, but do a grave disservice to your esteemed colleagues. You should count yourself lucky. Network tv news isn''t doing that well either and the audience will not continue to tolerate fools like yourself.

[michelle4690]

Andy, your comments about the unemployed was disheartening Sunday.

As Americans we need to support each other, and your comments that we as unemployed Americans are not trying hard enough to find a job...I take that personally. I used to do well in corporate America. Now I am caught in one of the worst economic times we are experiencing. I am taking a job for $7.80 an hour part-time. I am still looking for a second job to help get closer to making ends meet. I have downsized as much as possible, giving up cable, and trying to get by on $100 a month for food. I see senior citizens working in Starbucks, people with two or three jobs, still not making it.

The reality Mr. Rooney is that there are many Americans fighting hard to make ends meet right now, taking anything they can find.

I used to live in Fairfield County many years ago, and not to offend those that live there, but living in a community with the highest wealth in the US does not exactly expose you to what the vast majority of what America is experiencing right now. You are living in a bubble. Maybe on the east coast, people made enough to afford to be choosy...

Unfortunately that is not the case for many of us across the US. It is bad enough that we as tax payers have to bail out this financial mess...now these comments? What is the expression, "kicking a man when he is down"? Don''t you think we should support each other during these tough economical times? Isn''t that American?

[cronkite6]

Andy -

I usually enjoy your commentaries, but last night when you said people are unemployed because they don''t want to work, you made me mad. In fact, I reread your piece just now to make sure I heard it right. Are you saying that unemployed professional people should take menial production jobs like you had when you were a kid? Sure, it feels great to be employed, but not when your income fails to cover your expenses - like food, medical care, home mortgage, car insurance, gas. In my case, I''ve been unemployed almost four months, have sent out close to 400 resumes and have had 4 interviews. I''m hoping the drought ends soon. Andy, the American economy depends on a successful middle class being able to thrive and spend. If we''re all eating apples and selling pencils on the corner for 45 cents an hour, there will be no one to buy the thousands of products advertised daily on CBS. We might not be able to watch you either, since the government is taking away off-air television. It''s all connected, Andy. By the way, glad you like to write. So do I. Can I have your job?

Steve

[cronkite6]

Andy -

I usually enjoy your commentaries, but last night when you said people are unemployed because they don''t want to work, you made me mad. In fact, I reread your piece just now to make sure I heard it right. Are you saying that unemployed professional people should take menial production jobs like you had when you were a kid? Sure, it feels great to be employed, but not when your income fails to cover your expenses - like food, medical care, home mortgage, car insurance, gas. In my case, I''ve been unemployed almost four months, have sent out close to 400 resumes and have had 4 interviews. I''m hoping the drought ends soon. Andy, the American economy depends on a successful middle class being able to thrive and spend. If we''re all eating apples and selling pencils on the corner for 45 cents an hour, there will be no one to buy the thousands of products advertised daily on CBS. We might not be able to watch you either, since the government is taking away off-air television. It''s all connected, Andy. By the way, glad you like to write. So do I. Can I have your job?

Steve

[carriejoen]

I used to think you were just too old to understand what life is like for younger "generations". Now I just think you''re ignorant. Your comment "If someone doesn''t have a job, it probably isn''t because there are no jobs that need doing. It''s more likely to be because the jobs available aren''t the kind of work a lot of unemployed people want to do." Did you read the Bloomberg report on the job market? Well check it out old timer. We''re not too proud to take any job...Do you realize that for the past ten years I''ve been living through a financial "crisis" that only became one when the fat cats started to feel the pinch? Are you really so clueless about what is happening in this country? You need to take time out to educate yourself (silly me, why would you have to? you have job security...someone obviously thinks that at a certain point getting rid of you would scream of age discrimination, so they keep your babbling old a$$ right where it is. Not the case if you weren''t a public figure - they''d have canned you a long time ago and no one would have raised an eyebrow.) It is no longer a matter of being too proud to work just to get paid. I''m 50 years old and I''m no longer a "desirable hire". At 50 I''m middle-aged, what am I going to do to survive the next 50 years? I now deem you obsolete Mr. Rooney. How does it feel? Welcome to the middle class of America.

[tim898]

On the off chance that the public''s outrage inspires an apology from you Mr. Rooney, please do us a favor: Make it an old fashioned one, ie, unqualified. Don''t explain what you ''really meant'', or how we ''should have interpreted it''. Don''t use the politicians ''I''m sorry if you were offended...'' or an old girlfriend''s favorite ''I''m sorry, BUT...''.

Just apologise without qualification and be done with it.

In fact, you could make a funny 60 minutes spot about modern apolgies (mentioning the ones above and others), ending with an old fashioned one from yourself, the tight way.

[tim898]

typo, meant ''right way'', not ''tight way''

[graven81]

TO THE ADVERTISERS on 60 MINUTES: After Mr. Rooney''s extremely offensive comments about the unemployed this past week, I am no longer interested in purchasing any product or service advertised on 60 Minutes, or indeed in even watching the program at all. I will resume watching the program and purchasing the products and services advertised on it when Mr. Rooney is no longer part of it.

[tim898]

It''s interesting that a member of CBS news would suggest that there is no involuntary unemployment. That sure doesnt fit the definition of a ''Depression''. Mr. Rooney''s comments clearly suggest that there is no involuntary unemployment, nor is there signifigant risk of such occurring.

Yet, prior to the bailout legislation, the word ''Depression'' was used repeatedly on CBS and 60 minutes. This suggest that CBS News was misleading the public as to the true risk of ''Depression'' and need for an unprecidented 700 billion taxpayer bailout that is concetrated in New York city. Perhaps there is a conflict of interest, maybe even a party to fraud.

I would want to know the following:

- What stock positions do key personel and management of CBS hold, that would benefit from tha bailout?

- What CBS directors have interlocking directorships with firms receiving bailout funds?

- What CBS key personel, management, and news staff have relatives in management positions of firms receiving bailout money?

- What sponsors of CBS programming will benefit from bailout money?

- What, if any, subsidiaries of CBS have any of the above issues?

A 700 billion dollar bailout, furnished via increased debt, materially affects the financial position of the USA. It''s nearly ten thousand dollars for every American family of 4. If this transaction contained any fraud, all parties should be held accountable

[jlmiller1967]

I must confess that I rarely get emotional enough over a 2 minute commentary on TV to take the time to post a comment. My husband and I are faithful viewers of 60 minutes and have deep respect for its journalists. On October 26th, Andy Rooney went from being a rather amusing end to the show to being a complete baboon, with a complete lack of understanding of what is going on in today''s society. To state that "employment stats are highly suspicious and that it is more likely that people who are unemployed just don''t want to do the jobs that are out there" (paraphrased) is such a wide sweeping insult to the unemployed that it makes me ill. Yes, I am sure that there are people who fit this category, as there are good and bad in all walks of life. He should be embarassed to claim an understanding of these conditions because he worked in a paper mill during his schooling! If he opened up his complacent eyes, he would see a society filled with people who have either been kicked down so long, they have no idea how to begin to come back up, or people who have been fortunate enough to be able to provide a decent living to their families for decades, and now are unemployed, terrified, with no resources to help them re-direct their lives, and their families looking to them to make the problems go away. It goes without saying that when his ending to 60 Minutes comes on in the future, we will be changing the channels. Thank you,J.Miller,NB,Canada

[jmclermont]

Dear Mr. Rooney:

So, as you say, there is so much work to do, that the unemployed are just, well, lazy?

I envy you. I will never be able to dismiss unemployment as a form of sloth. Because I have been there. Because I am there.

My last boss let me go in June, giving my job to her recently hired, young staff and leaving me, a single, fifty-something woman to the wiles of a youth oriented job market and a broken economy. I work sometimes eight hours a day looking for work. I live in a condo building, and some of my neighbors share my predicament. One was just foreclosed.

I am so scared. Last week I took my car in for what I thought would be a minor repair. The bill came to $2200. How many more bills like this can my savings absorb? What if I get sick?

Did I tell you that I too am a writer?

Oh to be you. You are famous and the world waits each week for your opinion of whatever. Unwanted Christmas gifts, watches, a serious issue now and then. You have a job. I will be lucky if I get to edit insurance policies.

After what you said on Sunday night, you owe it to us, the American unemployed, among whom you have clearly never counted yourself (and never will), to give us some of that national face time you take so much for granted. I dare you to walk into your nearest unemployment office. Talk to us, especially those of us with grey hair.

Put our stories in the public eye, and with those stories, the growing meanness of corporate America.