[See NewsBusters for more.] Well that didn’t age well. In the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, CBS compared newly independent states like Ukraine to annoying brats running away from home. Of course, the bizarre 1991 commentary came from the late Andy Rooney. On the September 29, 1991 60 Minutes, Rooney began, “Who would have thought a year ago that the 15 states in the Soviet Union would decide to split up?” He then compared the brutal regime of the old Soviet Union to the functioning republic of the United States, suggesting it would be like Florida or California leaving.
In light of the war crimes being committed by Russia, Rooney’s conclusion is even more cringe worthy: “Every kid dreams about running away, but if they do, 99 percent of them decide it was a bad idea and come home. My bet is that in a few years, half those Soviet states that left the union will come home.”