Andy Rooney's minute on 60 Minutes

[NinetySix]

Andy Rooney nailed it tonight. We may in fact be looking at an America in the 21st century which is stripped of its former influence and prestige throughout the world. Imagine what it must be like to be 85 years old, a proud and patriotic citizen from your youth, having seen your country rise to power and universal respect in the world, only to see it abused to the point of destruction just before the end of your life.

Remember when Osama bin Laden indicated after September 11th his intent to destroy the United States? It sounded like bluster and hyperbole to me. But after Abu Ghraib, it's beginning to dawn on me that perhaps he knew his enemy (not just the US, but Bush) all too well.

If the American people actually elect Bush in 2004, it really doesn't matter whether there's another election, because our last opportunity to maintain our standing in the world will have been lost. If we do the right thing and elect Kerry, whether he makes a good or bad president in the scheme of things, let's just pray he's capable of the one thing which can save our place in the world, that thing of which Bush is incapable: contrition, the only thing that can save us now.

[mike1963]

1. "...can't get fooled again..."

:grr:

[DaveSZ]

9. :)

http://homepage.mac.com/webmasterkai/kaicurry/gwbush/dishonestdubya.html


"There's an old saying down in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas...(3 minute pause)...fool me once....shame on....shame on you....fool me you can't get me fooled again."


-GWB

[Poiuyt]

2. US presidents have had a hard time with contrition

It makes them look weak. But you're right, something needs to be done to restore the US to prominence. I think just the fact that we elect a different president would send a message to the world that we want to change.

Even if Bush is elected to a second term, I still think that down the road the US can return to glory. It will just be harder and take longer. Unless, of course, that Bush decides to pursue the apocalypse.

[napi21]

12. In case you missed it, here's the link to Andy's commentary

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/20/60minutes/rooney/main618783.shtml

I didn't hear it tonight, but reading it, I can hear him speaking.

I agree with him completely.

[Window]

21. Damn! That was really deep.

Thanks for sharing.

Peace

[never cry wolf]

29. Video link on that page too, and thanks, had me in tears..n/t

[rhino47]

34. Thanks Napi21 nt

[elf]

52. No way

Europe, if not a lot more countries in the world are just waiting to get Bush out of office.
Then and only then USA will be able to restore their credibility again.
They (Europe) will treat USA as a partner again and that's what it takes, to fight terrorism all TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!

[NNN0LHI]

3. Did Andy actually say this tonight? Thanks in advance n/t

[saigon68]

14. He did Don !! he was really pissed

He was really down on military THUGS AND HOODLUMS and the officers who manage them.

[Wonk]

27. mp3 & vp3 here for those who missed it

605k mp3

6 M vp3 video

[NNN0LHI]

33. Thanks Wonk. You da man. You too saigon68. Thanks guys n/t

[JohnLocke]

47. Thanks, I missed it.

[Warpy]

4. Contrition would only be a weak start

What is needed is a full and hostile investigation into the crimes of the Bush gang, from the theft of the election right through to the bitter end, followed by indictments, trials, convictions and prison sentences. Only in this way can we show that their reign was an aberration, not the norm.

[Alerter_]

5. he was great, Middle America heard it loud and clear

He said "find out who gave the orders, follow the chain of command". He was right on!

[stopbush]

6. The most beautiful and well-constructed edifice can be brought down

in no time by an idiot with a match and simple criminal intent.

Thus ends the USA of our youth. Now begins the era of the disgraced and shamed USA - the once-great nation that embraced hubris rather than humanity.

We may never recover from the disgrace of the bush years (has it really been only 3.5 years?).

[indigobusiness]

25. Scary, but true...

we may never recover.

They gave us enough to hang ourself.

[Michael Costello]

7. US relative to the world

After World War II, the US towered over every other country. Most of the industrialized countries were wrecked - Japan, Germany, France, the USSR. Aside relative economic might was military might, including the atomic bomb.

Here we are 60 years later and the US GDP is equivalent to what the EU's is. Asia is growing quickly and that region will soon be the size of the US and EU economy. Europe also seems to be investing in its future while the US seems to be trying to dismantle its future - shipping jobs overseas, destroying education and so forth. The only thing the US has over Europe is its massive military spending, and right now it seems like that is throwing money down a hole.

I mean the average inflation-adjusted hourly wage in the US is below what it was 30 years ago! Economically the US hit a peak in the late 1960s and things have been stagnating ever since. This is something that is not talked about much.

[mike1963]

10. I seriously doubt there will be a tricentennial.

:eyes:

[tjwash]

11. They are all having their problems too...

I just came back from Munich and Vienna, and they are all abuzz about their companies like Siemens and BMW outsourcing to different countries. Ironically, Siemens is a rather large employer here in the USA.

And as for Asia, believe it or not, the US does not have the largest deficit in the world. That honor currently belongs to Japan.

[Alerter_]

13. lots of neo-liberals and neo-cons want to outsource and privatize the US

unfortunately, we've allowed monied interests to control our economic and foreign policy, and it's going to land us in a world of hurt in the not-so-distant future.

[never cry wolf]

30. Nice post Mr. Costello

One other thing the US has over europe is natural resources, which we are burning through at a rapid pace and have based much of our society upon. Soon we are to pay the price for our excesses, I am afraid.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[StClone]

8. Tis has been oft-discussed

Bin Laden knew that the 9-11 Neo-Con reaction with BushCo in charge would result in the Islamic world revulsion of America. Little did Osama know that bully Bush's blundering would result in the World's hatred us. Osama succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.

[DaveSZ]

15. No

If Bush is reelected it will be the end of America.

He will pursue his rapture foreign policy, and start more wars in his attempt to (in his mind) build a landing pad for Jesus.

He will appoint at least 3 more far-right Supreme Court justices, and they will give him unlimited power.

Heil Bush anyone/?

[tjwash]

17. With or without Osama...

...we were putting military in the middle east. I told my biz partner that the moment the cowpie stole the whitehouse (apologies to cowpies everywhere), that we would be in Iraq within 2 years. 9-11 just made it easier to whip everyone into a "let's kill all the ragheads" furor, to the point that he could be blatant about it. All those dead people at the WTC, and the people in Saudi and Egypt that funded Bin Ladens terrorist org are still running around. Makes me sick to my stomach that all those people died for nothing.

[Eric J in MN]

35. During the first Gulf War, the US didn't torture the Iraqis, but

During the first Gulf War, the US didn't torture the Iraqis, but the US tortured during this Iraq War, thanks to Alberto Gonzalez and John Yoo, who decided the Geneva Convention doesn't always apply.

Alberto Gonzalez is still being paid by us with federal tax dollars, and John Yoo is now being paid by California tax dollars as a professor at UC Berkeley law school.


PHOTO OF JOHN YOO:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040522/480/fx305222224


John Yoo, professor of law at the University of California at Berkeley. Students at the University of California, Berkeley's Boalt School of Law say a legal memo that Yoo co-wrote while working for the U.S. Department of Justice (news - web sites) 'contributed directly to the reprehensible violation of human rights in Iraq

[Cleita]

16. I hope Kerry has the cojones to initiate an investigation of

this administration for treason and war crimes. It will be the only way we can regain any respect in the world. It should also serve as a warning to any others, who would abuse the power of the office of President for clandestine reasons, to think twice before doing so.

[onehandle]

23. The President does not have that power.

That's up to Congress.

[Cleita]

32. Yes, but the President can pressure Congress.

He can insist. It depends on how persuasive a leader he is. I think Kerry can get Congress to do this. It is his duty to do all he can.

[Eric J in MN]

38. The Justice Dept can investigate crimes, and it's part of the Executive

The Justice Dept can investigate crimes, and it's part of the Executive branch.

[onehandle]

48. Anyone who is expecting Kerry to take on a former President...

...will be disappointed. It's not the President's job, or duty.

[kittykitty]

18. It was Andy's finest 5 minutes.! Here's the link--please read. . .

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/20/60minutes/rooney/main618783.shtml

<snip>

The guards who tortured prisoners are faced with a year in prison. Well, great. A year for destroying our reputation as decent people.

I don't want them in prison, anyway. We shouldn't have to feed them. Take away their right to call themselves American - that's what I’d do. You aren't one of us. Get out. We don't want you. Find yourself another country or a desert island somewhere. If the order came from someone higher up, take him with you.

<snip>

[j1607760]

19. Let's see the NeoCons try to bash general Paul Zini

Yet ANOTHER book criticizing the administration? How many are we up to now -ten? And we haven't even gotten to Clinton's memoirs yet. Best of all it's a book from General Zini, one of the most respected, decorated and venerated men in the military. I'd like to see the neo-cons try to trash him like they did Clark. All we evil little leftists have ever done is criticize an out-of-control president, never our troops. So remember that folks, when the neocons come out tomorrow trashing Zini -they're attacking our troops and doing it "in time of war." It'll be sweet to watch as they try to pretzel some sort of explanation for violating their favorite slogan. Reminds me of how the neocons tried to explain away Michael Berg's blaming Bush for his kid's death after they tried to use it to get attention off Abu-Ghraib. Oh, what a tangled web we weave...

[Deja Q]

20. OBL attacked the TWC in 1993... And terrorists need not attack us...

Again, the WTC was his target and the reason why so many people think he's got a small wiener. :-)

Could the WTC have been symbolic of our capitalism-gone-wild, or do people see it as America's general might?

Clinton held off attacks since 1993, so he did a good job. Where the fuck was Bush? Oh yeah, ignoring the warnings the rest of the world and his own security agencies were telling him. :eyes:

Terrorists needn't attack us with violence either. If the middle east was a group of countries that hate us, why do they continue to sell us the oil? Stopping the selling the oil is all they need do, or pull out their investments. Or why don't they burn up their own oil wells? They have comparatively no use for them.

[salib]

22. "Great"?

What is "Greatness"? Why are so many of the responses about how great or not great we are all about others opinion about us (at best) or our might and prosperity (at worst). Have you all missed what Andy Rooney is talking about? It is not what others think. It is not what we can or cannot do relative to others. It is what we are, and how we behave in the world that matters. The rest follows, it is not the reason! It is the golden rule: we behave the way we would want others to behave. We behave that way.

[indigobusiness]

24. He was SMOKIN'

I was surprised he said for the first time it occurred to him that the American Empire might go the way of the Greek and Roman Empires.

He has taken the gloves off.

KUDOS, Andy!!!!

[Nlighten1]

26. But..."he is a popular war-time president"!

How can anyone not see that!

Andy was perfect tonight.

[Kanary]

28. How many have written to Andy and CBS to thank him?

If we want to be heard, we have to make that noise...... you can be sure the RW has written their anger about it.

It was a great speech, and needs to be acknowledged.

Kanary

[union_maid]

36. Good point

Just did it, thanks to your post.

[Kanary]

44. Thanks, union_maid!!

Spread the word... we need to come out in force like the RW did, and make ourselves heard!

Also, I hope you will call Rangel's office tomorrow, and give him support for his articles of impeachment against Rumsfled.

Toll-free numbers..

1-800-839-5276 and/or 1-877-762-8762 ask for the office you want (in this case, Rangel), and leave your message with whoever answers.

Keep these numbers on hand....... we all need to be calling all the time, and giving kudos or raspberries to our reps and Senators!

Thanks again, union_maid, and welcome to DU!

:hi: :toast: :hi:

Kanary

[indie_voter]

31. Brilliant,moving and right on. n/t

[Eloriel]

37. It was my own deepest fear

Not my strongest fear, but the one at the bottom of all the others in the wind up to this war: that it would be the beginning of the end for the United States, quite possibly even as a nation.

Ironic that it may be the stunning violation of human rights that we were once so famous for that anchors the slide that Rooney worries about too.

[Catherine Vincent]

39. Andy should get ready for an onslaught of hate mail from the

pro bush suckers.

[Sparkly]

40. If any still watch 60 Minutes

:)

[napi21]

41. Well, I sent Andy a thank you email!

I thanked him for trying to open the eyes of the few arrogant, ignorant stubborn people in our Country, maybe they'll realize why they should also be ashamed.

[Kanary]

46. Thank you, napi21... we all need to do this, and keep writing!

[Kanary]

45. Then it's up to us to counter that, isn't it????!

We can all write, just as well as the RW.

The time is over for sitting back and complaining about them...... it's time to take action ourselves.

Kanary

[Jade Fox]

42. Wow! n/t

[Kiliki]

43. Is there a transcript somewhere? n/t

[othermeans]

53. Here's a copy of what he said

(CBS) The following is a weekly 60 Minutes commentary by CBS News Correspondent Andy Rooney.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you were going to make a list of the great times in American history, you'd start with the day in 1492, when Columbus got here.

The Revolution when we won our independence would be on the list.

Beating Hitler.

Putting Americans on the moon.

We've had a lot of great days.

Our darkest days up until now have been things like presidential assassinations, the stock market crash in 1929, Pearl Harbor, and 9-11, of course.

The day the world learned that American soldiers had tortured Iraqi prisoners belongs high on the list of worst things that ever happened to our country. It's a black mark that will be in the history books in a hundred languages for as long as there are history books. I hate to think of it.

The image of one bad young woman with a naked man on a leash did more to damage America's reputation than all the good things we've done over the years ever helped our reputation.

What were the secrets they were trying to get from captured Iraqis? What important information did that poor devil on the leash have that he wouldn't have given to anyone in exchange for a crust of bread or a sip of water?

Where were your officers? If someone told you to do it, tell us who told you. If your officers were told – we should know who told them.

One general said our guards were "untrained." Well, untrained at what? Being human beings? Did the man who chopped off Nicholas Berg's head do it because he was untrained?

The guards who tortured prisoners are faced with a year in prison. Well, great. A year for destroying our reputation as decent people.

I don't want them in prison, anyway. We shouldn't have to feed them. Take away their right to call themselves American - that's what I’d do. You aren't one of us. Get out. We don't want you. Find yourself another country or a desert island somewhere. If the order came from someone higher up, take him with you.

[qanda]

49. It was both thought provoking and scary

I hope it woke some people out of their sleep.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

50. "If the American people actually elect Bush in 2004"...

OK, look where we are right now...5/23/04.

I know people who are "underemployed"...or "unemployed"...but I don't know anyone who agrees with Bush's statement that the "U.S. job engine 'running strong' (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5038688/)"...I don't personally know anyone who is doing as well as, or better than they were, when Bush took office.

The world hates us. Oh, to some degree, they always have. But not for the reasons they do now, or in such incredible numbers.

Today's AP headlines include this one: "Morgue Records Show 5,500 Iraqis Killed" (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&u=/ap/20040524/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_violent_deaths_6). We are giving the freedom-lovin' Iraqi people their freedom...with only minor collateral damage. The important thing is that we don't want to do anything to lose their fucking hearts and minds.

"If the American people actually elect Bush in 2004"...

God help us all.

[Sparkly]

51. So right

There's never been so much at stake. This is nothing less than an emergency, as I see it.