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Andy Answers His Mail

Andy Answers His Critics 02:31

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



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.

Thomas Overley writes from Oceanside, Calif. 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, N.M., 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.

I said there were no organs left in movie theaters and apparently I was wrong about that. A lot of people wrote to invite me to their movie house that still has an organ.

Larry Sarraga of Sayville, N.Y. thinks I'm set in my ways. "Andy." Larry writes. "You need to get out more."

Gee, I don't know Larry. Don't forget being set in my ways is what I do for a living.

At least a dozen people wrote to say I made a mistake saying that Snuffy Smith won "The Congressional Medal of Honor." They all said the real name of what he got was the "Medal of Honor."

Several people also objected to my saying that people "won" the Medal of Honor. They're quibbling but of course they're right. It would be better if I had said "were awarded the Medal of Honor."

Boy, you gotta be careful saying anything on television.

Michael Kellems of La Porte, Ind. writes "What's the story behind your desk? And can I have it when you're done?"

Well, the story is Mr. Kellems, I made the desk myself with a great piece of walnut from a tree that came down in the woods near our house. The rest of the story is "no you can't have it when I'm done... and don't try to hurry me out of here either, Kellems."

Written by Andy Rooney

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