Barry wrote on Feb 28, 2006 9:40 AM:Randal happened to be in the right place at the right time in Viet Nam. Any number Navy, Marine or Air Force fighter pilots were more than willing and capable to knock five Migs out of the sky. Spare me the "Real American Hero" drivel. The real heros were the 19 year old kids who did not come home to a Congressman's lifestyle and paycheck. Keelhauling from the USS Constitution would be appropriate. Semper Fi.

Woody wrote on Feb 28, 2006 10:30 AM:Yes, Cunningham is really, really sorry--really, really sorry he got caught. He's nothing but a common thief, so he should be treated like one. He can be the founding father of the Congress Alumni Organization at the Club Fed. DeLay, Frist and several others should join him there.

Jesus wrote on Feb 28, 2006 7:07 PM:Cunningham never showed a drop of mercy towards his political enemies. He greatly relished torturing them. Why should we show him mercy, now that the tables are turned?

Ginger wrote on Mar 1, 2006 9:03 AM:Cunningham (please don't refer to him as "Duke") deserves to serve time. If it was good enough for Martha, it is good enough for him!

left coast girl wrote on Mar 1, 2006 9:24 AM:He should rot in jail!

GFN wrote on Mar 1, 2006 10:58 AM:Cunningham and Wade need to be hammered in their sentencing. These men made millions of dollars, tens of millions, in their incredibly overt disregard of the law. You can bet they hid large sums of money which they will have access to when their terms expire. Their crimes will be worth it! A ten year sentence is only 8 1/2 years; an 8 year sentence will only be 6 years, and a 6 year sentence will be less than 5 years. This will be time spent in a low-impact prison where they will be able to read, work on their fitness, lose any addictions, and write their memoirs. These selfish individuals preyed on the trust of the American people and a purchasing system that excused normal checks and balances so that our troops could get supplies quickly. Wade's earnings came from, "..spreading corruption with the congressional appropriations process, the defense contracting apparatus, and the financing of congressional campaigns." Their crimes are despicable. Give them the maximum sentences and let it be an example to all: crime does not pay!

Dean wrote on Mar 1, 2006 12:15 PM:Cunningham wasn't a victim. He was the mastermind of a devious and lucrative criminal plot. The argument that he should be given leniency because of his past war service is ludicrous. He is a disgrace to war veterans everywhere. Lock him up and throw away the key. Buh-bye Duke. I hope your "tough guy" persona serves you well in the slammer.

merrilyn wrote on Mar 1, 2006 1:46 PM:The Cunninghams took all they could - there's no way his wife didn't know what was going on. Now she wants to protect her share. A sorry mess. I don't care if he's in jail for 8-10 years, but I do care that they will be able to live comfortably on pensions, when so many have died in a stupid Republican war.

perla wrote on Mar 1, 2006 6:18 PM:well i have to make a story for my school and i don't know am i going to do it the title is the the five bestfriend and is like five best friend that their trying to run away so i don't know how to do it.

O'sideCarl wrote on Mar 2, 2006 1:19 AM:Cunningham is only one of many who run our system. He got caught. If you let him off you have to let all those serving time in jail or prision with similar charges, go free. I'd like to see someone in government finally do the right thing and put him behind bars for ten years. But I bet you 10 to 1 odds NO ONE WILL!!

Suzi wrote on Mar 2, 2006 9:36 AM:I can't help feeling sorry for him - I don't understand how people can be so callous. He was VERY brave and risked his life years ago as a Top Gun. Is that all supposed to be forgotten? I say give him a couple of months and probation. He didn't KILL anyone, or ENDANGER anyone....Plus, the poor man has cancer now... Does anyone out there have any feelings????

Edgar wrote on Mar 2, 2006 10:20 AM:Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Greg wrote on Mar 2, 2006 4:11 PM:I agree with Woody and Kevin, but, how did they know that Cunningham would end up like this way back in December 31, of 1969 at 4:00 PM? Wait, the Internet wasn't even around back then...I'm confused

Rusty Harris with the North County Times wrote on Mar 2, 2006 4:18 PM:The time-stamp confusion with Woody's and Kevin's posts is due to a bug in the software used for these comments. Posters and the NCT have no control over the time stamp for individual posts.

california_reality_check wrote on Mar 2, 2006 7:18 PM:Rule of law. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. No mercy. 10 years. Period.

Ricardo wrote on Mar 3, 2006 9:29 AM:Duke got a great plea deal in exchange for telling all. He should get the full ten years and count himself very lucky. But I want to know how much of his and other people's support for this war is for financial gain? Criminal or not, lots of important people are making lots of money. Billions have been misspent and lost. Is that why we are there?

Rafael wrote on Mar 3, 2006 10:18 AM:I am greatly disappointed in Mr. Cunningham.

San Marcos Resident wrote on Mar 3, 2006 11:36 AM:Cunningham deserves more than 10 years!The second he made the choice to take a bribe was when he lost all that made him honorable in my eyes so don't give me the "I feel sorry for him, he's a war hero bit".(If it were me, I would give him a year for each dollar he took!) He is getting off easy with only 10 years max! Maybe Cunningham's good buddies-San Marcos Mayor Corky Smith and Councilman Mike Preston will each give back the $2,000 each they accepted from Cunningham during their 2002 campaigns so will have a savings account when he gets out. Maybe they could even visit Cunningham in Jail to show their indebtedness to their friend.

harry wrote on Mar 3, 2006 11:38 AM:The 10 years was a very lenient plea deal; if he were to be charged and convicted on all counts, he would be doing 50 to life. It is absurd that he is now whining and asking for leniency and a sentence of 6 years! What he did is very much like treason which has a death penalty. He sold out the troops, wasted limited dollars for their equipment, assured cronies got military contracts not based on the safety of the troops, but based on solicited bribes. He is not a victim, he is a greedy war profiteering pig. Shame on Father Joe, who hoped to get his share of the mansion deal, for muddying the waters by asking for leniency.

Ed wrote on Mar 3, 2006 3:37 PM:He already rec'd a generous plea deal so he deserves the maximum sentence. He is only sorry because he was caught. He had a reputation as a bully and deserves to be treated as he treated others. His wife should be ashamed for her part in their ill-gotten gains. How could she claim innocence when they lifestyle changed so significantly? Then she dumps him when he is caught. She deserves to go to prison too.

Ricardo again wrote on Mar 3, 2006 3:38 PM:harry makes an interesting point about Father Joe and others who wrote letters supporting Duke. Members of Congress have lots of power, including the power to give away public money to nonprofits and whatnot. Lots of people become beholden to him/her. This and "safe" districts make it very difficult to unseat an incumbent, however bad and/or dishonest they may be. The deck is stacked against "we the people".

D.L. wrote on Mar 4, 2006 9:46 AM:Cunningham was/is a sanctimonious loser. He made a career out of telling us that he was a better American than those who disagreed with him. Then when he got caught he played the Christian card and told us over and over how he was praying. Every time I hear a politician (or anyone else for that matter) loudly proclaim their patriotism or their religious affilition I now assume they are hiding something.

jack from escondido wrote on Mar 4, 2006 9:49 AM:The citizens of the 50th congressional district should examine why they continued to re-elect Randy Cunningham. His early congressional career was indicative of what would become public in the succeeding years. It is not as if he became corrupt four years ago....

Luis wrote on Mar 4, 2006 11:26 AM: come on folks, this is america, where politicians get away with almost anything crooked they do. AND THEY SHOULD. We let them rob, cheat and swindle us all the time. He'll be out in 2 years or so and has to pay back $1,000. a month, but he keeps his 64,000. a year pension. Crime pays, if you are a politician.

Terri wrote on Mar 4, 2006 11:34 AM:What I would like to know is Randy Cunningham still entitled to retirement for the time that he "SERVED" (screwed) the American taxpayers?

Ja.ck wrote on Mar 4, 2006 11:38 AM:As a retired military man and one who had dealings with Duke - I'm so disappointed. He was the only person that took interest in our cause. Why would he turn on the people who truly supported him? Could it be that he learned from the Mayor, Council people of San Diego?

Top Greed wrote on Mar 4, 2006 7:22 PM:It's very sad what greed can do to a soul. It's an addiction like many others that needs help rather than jail time. I'm a democrat, the party of compassion, or so I thought. To me, this isn't a party issue though. His type of thyroid disease alone has made many like people do things they normally wouldn't do if they were healthy. Bizarre emotions and thinking being just one of the many symptoms. His diabetes makes one explosive...and cancer too. He was a walking bomb of twisted thinking. Greed stepped in and he didn't even recognize it. I REALLY did NOT like his politics or egotism. How much of that was drummed into his head in the military? That's why they recruit them young, to mold their minds. Some men adapt and become strong and wonderful citizens, others have a week link within that eventually snaps. Duke snapped, he needs forgiveness and lots of help. Vindictive revenge from most of these blog writers is sad too, for them. What a wicked world politics is.

Vern wrote on Mar 4, 2006 7:46 PM:Duke Cunningham was a true hero. He got caught up in the "Beltway Mentality" in Washington and all the trappings of being in Congress. He got caught doing probably what many others in their capacity did and are still doing. Politics is flat DIRTY, and those in Congress who criticize the Duke should cast the mote out of their own eyes.

Doc wrote on Mar 5, 2006 8:03 AM:I was an officer in the Military during the Vietnam war. I enlisted even though I had completed 6 years in the researves and could not be drafted. I wanted to fly and would have if my eye site wasn't less than 20/20. There were plenty of men and women who would have done what Duke did. Fighter jet pilots were and are seen as plumb jobs in the military. Ask a grunt on the ground in Iraq if they had not rather be flying 30,000 feet overhead in a billion dollar jet. As far a being a hero, I believe the Duke was just trying to stay alive. He may have taken risks others may not have, but that could be because of a large ego or lack of intelligence. If his current behavior is an example, we might conclude he has both. He may have been an Ace and killed some people who were trying to kill him, (he did have better equipment and training than those people) but we do not know who else he dropped bombs on on the ground nor does he. He was several miles above the ground. He may have killed many innocent people as I am sure we have in Iraq. The hero part may come from knowing and living with what you have done. Now he must do that again without the metals.

Drew wrote on Mar 5, 2006 2:23 PM:Duke chaired the committee that was responsible for military contracts. Therefore, his corruption directly affected contracts that support our "War" in Iraq. Including weapons, supplies and the care of our brave men and women serving over there. With all the issues with inadequate equipment (bullet proof jackets and armor for our jeeps, for example) it is possible someone died from the Duke’s corruption. Duke chose personal profit over the best for our country. This is called War Profiteering and is "Treason". At best his "Hero" status evens out with his "Treason". But not in my mind.

Sandy K wrote on Mar 5, 2006 9:01 PM:Could we get a new topic? Since he has been sentenced, our opinions on how long he should get are moot don't you think?

Bruce wrote on Mar 6, 2006 9:19 AM:To some soft-hearted posters who would let Cunningham off with little or no punishment because of his military service or because he has "suffered enough": Remember that the primary function of legally imposed punishment is to serve as a deterrent. If a criminal in politics knows that, if caught, he can get light or no punishment because of his age or by telling a sob story and describing a religious conversion, where's the deterrence?

Leona wrote on Apr 18, 2006 9:46 AM:I think that it is interesting that when Mr. Cunningham got caught he owned up to his mistake. He said he did it, and he never blamed his mother, father society or anyone else for choices he made. Plus I never heard him say that everyone does it. How rare. I am surprised that this aspect as gone so unnoticed. I am able to remember New Jersery a few years ago where, a senator, and a govenor resign because of corruption. Moreover, both of these men continue to denie any wrong doing, even though, they were forced from office they are walking around as free men. Mr Cunningham for most of his life has lived a good life, one of service. I admire the integrity he showed by owning up to what he did.

Pat wrote on Jan 10, 2007 1:49 PM:The man's serving what's a light sentence for the crimes he committed and denied until he had his nose rubbed in them. He hasn't come to terms with the fact that he committed crimes that damaged the country. He's not repentent, he's just miserable that he got caught. Justice, please. He is THE WORST case of bribery and corruption EVER in the history of Congress. He should be punished as an example. He used his stature as ex-military, as a veteran, as a fighter pilot... to let him commit crimes. That doesn't make him deserving of a break. It makes it worse, in my eyes. And he's still not really cooperating in helping the feds pursue others who were also part of the crimes, or who he knew were also committing similar crimes. I think he's already getting off lightly. He can rot at least until he comes clean.