"That's what happened to this thing of Dan Rather's that got out," he explained. "There's no question they wanted to run it because it was negative towards Bush."

In the next breath Rooney complained that TV journalism "has been taken over" by "the moneychangers."

"I feel bad about the news business," Rooney said. "It has the prospects of being stronger than ever. There are good young people in the news business."

The CBS star said he was chagrined over reports that religious values played such a critical role in this year's election.

"I am an atheist," Rooney told Tufts. "I don't understand religion at all. I'm sure I'll offend a lot of people by saying this, but I think it's all nonsense."

He accused Christian fundamentalists of being ignorant, saying Christians turned to religion because of "a lack of education."

"They haven't been exposed to what the world has to offer," he explained.

Rooney also admitted to being mystified over how "men who work with their hands voted for George Bush."

"The labor force is conservative," he said. "How in the world did that happen?"

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