While Public Backs Andy Rooney Over Cbs, Doubts About His Alleged Prejudice Persist

The Harris Poll

For release: Sunday AM, March 18, 1990 1990 111 ISSN 0895-7983

WHILE PUBLIC BACKS ANDY ROONEY OVER CBS, DOUBTS ABOUT HIS ALLEGED PREJUDICE PERSIST

By Louis Harris Although a clear-cut 63-26 percent majority of the American people sympathized with Andy Rooney rather than CBS over his recent suspension from "60 Minutes," nonetheless substantial doubts about his being prejudiced against gays and blacks remain. Rooney said he was sorry to have made his remarks about homosexuals, but said he never made the comnents on blacks attributed to him by a gay publication. The results demonstrate that it is very difficult for denials to catch up with accusations. Significant in these results is the sharp age split, with younger people tending to be more critical of Andy Rooney and older people far more loyal to him. Thus, Rooney's support shws a substantial generation gap. For example, young people 18-24 split 46-46 percent down the middle over whom they sympathize with, while those 50-64 are 77-12 percent on the commentator's side. Here are other key results from this Harris Poll, taken by telephone between March 8th and 13th among a representative cross section of 1,254 adults nationwide on the Andy Rooney episode: b L -- A plurality of 46-34 percent.nationwide denies the allegation that "what Andy Rooney said about homosexuals reflected prejudice against gays." Pro-Rooney groups such as those aged 50-64 deny the charge by 51-25 percent. However young people under 39 years of age, by a small plurality, and blacks, by 51-32 percent, feel that Rooney9s remarks did show a bias against homosexuals. -- By only a slim 38-37 percent does a plurality of the public across the country believe that "Andy Rooney never made the remark about blacks that the gay publication claimed he did." Significantly, the-doubts as to whether he said the remarks about blacks -- which he vehemently denied ever saying -- run straight across-the-board, showing little differences by age or any other demographic component. -- By 51-44 percent, a close majority does not feel that Andy Rooney "was treated fairly by CBS." Again, young people tend to think his suspension by the network was the right course to take, while older people bitterly objected to it. -- Perhaps the most serious division in the survey arises in the very narrw 45-42 percent plurality who agree with the claim that "Andy Rooney in no way is a racist.'' Again, young people, blacks, and Hispanics all are not willing to clear Rooney of racist charges. Older people disagree and feel Rooney was unfairly charged on the race issue. -- A substantial 79-17 percent majority is convinced that "CBS brought him back before his suspension was up mainly because '60 Minutes' had a big loss of audience ratings when he was suspended." -- Finally, a clear-cut 59-28 percent majority say "it's great to have Andy Rooney back on the air." However, these results show that the scar tissue from the entire episode has hardly begun to heal. They also demonstrate that there is substantial public opinion in the country prepared to sharply criticize any public figure who allegedly makes any remark that can be construed as prejudiced against minorities or homosexuals. Of course, if Rooney did not make the remark about blacks as claimed by the gay publication, then it is also true that once a charge is made, right or wrong, it is difficult, indeed, for a public figure to turnaround the initial public mindset.

(over1 THE HARRIS POLL March 18, 1990

TABLES 4 Between March 8th and 13th, the Harris Poll asked a nationwide cross section of 1,254 adults, by telephone: SYMPATHIZE WITH CBS NEWS OR ANDY ROONEY

"As you know, Andy Rooney was suspended by CBS News from the show '60 Minutes' for three months for making remarks that homosexuals said were offensive. Then a gay publication also claimed that Rooney had made a racist remark. Rooney denied he ever made the remark about blacks. After one month of suspension and after "60 Minutes"' ratings had dropped sharply, he was reinstated. He apologized for his remarks about homosexuals and once again denied he made any antiblack remark. Who did you sympathize with in the Rooney affair -- CBS News or Andy Rooney?"

Neither / CBS Andy Both Not News Rooney (Vol. 1 -Sure % % % %

TOTAL Age 18-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65 and over Less than high school High school graduate Some college College graduate Postgraduate

White Black Hispanic Conservative Moderate Liberal (***)Yuppies = at least some college and age 18-39 (-1 = no response PEELINGS ABOUT ROONEY EPISODE "Did you feel that (READ EACH I=), or didn't you feel that way?"

Didn t Not -Pelt -Peel -Sure % % % CBS brought him back before his suspension was up mainly because "60 Minutes1* had a big loss of audience ratings when he was suspended TOTAL Age 18-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65 and over

(continued) f March 18, 1990 THE HARRIS POLL

FEELINGS ABOUT ROONEY EPISODE (contld) Didn 't -Felt -Feel Sure % % %

Less than high school High school graduate Some college College graduate Postgraduate

White Black Hispanic Conservative Moderate Liberal It's great to have Andy Rooney back on the air TOTAL Age 18-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65 and over Less than high school b High school graduate Some college College graduate Postgraduate

White Black Hispanic Conservative Moderate Liberal Andy Rooney in no way is a racist TOTAL Age 18-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65 and over Less than high school High school graduate Some college College graduate Postgraduate

(over) THE HARRIS POLL March 18, 1990

FEELINGS ABOUT ROONEY EPISODE (cont'd) 4 Not Sure %

White Black Hispanic Conservative Moderate Liberal He was treated fairly by CBS News TOTAL Age 18-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65 and over Less than high school High school graduate Some college College graduate Post graduate

White Black Hispanic Conservative Moderate Liberal Andy Rooney never made the remark about blacks that the gay publication claimed he did TOTAL Age 18-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65 and over Less than high school High school graduate Some college College graduate Postgraduate

White Black Hispanic Conservative Moderate Liberal

(continued) THE HARRIS POLL March 18, 1990

FEELINGS ABOUT ROONEY EPISODE (cont'd) Didn ' t Not -Felt Feel Sure % % % What Andy Rooney said about homosexuals reflected prejudice against gays TOTAL 3 4 Age 18-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65 and over Less than high school High school graduate Some college College graduate Postgraduate

White Black Hispanic Conservative Moderate Liberal (***)Yuppies = at least some college and age 18-39 METHODOLOGY This Harris Poll was conducted by telephone within the United States between March 8th and 13th, among a nationwide cross section of 1,254 adults. Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and size of place were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. In a sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they wduld be if the entire adult population had been polled. This statement conforms to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. Contact Louis Harris and Associates, Inc., Information Services, 630 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10111, (2121 698-9600, for complete demographic details for the questions in this release.