The Unauthorized Randy “Duke” Cunningham Page

Ok guys.....perhaps I can add a little perspective to this whole thread (Retired MCPO/26 years active duty/former aircrew in "Connies" and "Stoofs")

When I learned yesterday that Cunningham had plead guilty to all charges I was, in some ways, devastated. Not because I was a great fan of his. Not because I ever thought of him as anything other than a great PR guy that the Navy sorely needed at the end of the war. Not because I ever thought of him as some intellectually gifted congressman.

No, I was devasted because, during this time of great debate over the current war, many people will equate his behavior with all that is perceived to be wrong with the military. I'm deeply concerned that this will be a very black eye on the Navy as much as it is a black eye on congress in general.

I watched with disgust as the "Dukester" performed his public mea culpa, "tears and breaking voice" and somehow working God and religion into the admission of guilt. Gimme a break!

For those of us who served honorably for many years in harms way, no less in harms way than the Dukester without the accolades, and have lived a hardworking and honorable life after our military career, this is a betrayal of trust given to Cunningham by the voters that sent him to Congress and by the rest of us who allowed ourselves to be duped by his "celebrity". And in Navy world I lived in, betrayel of trust is the most capital of sins. There will never be enough "attaboys" in his resume, past or future, to attone for this betrayal. I will never consider him to be anything but a scumbag of the lowest form from this day forward.

A very sad day indeed.

Amen Master Chief, amen.