The Duke’s Always Right Even When He’s Wrong

It’s common for new legislators to move to the middle of the political spectrum and invite old foes to meet them on common ground.

Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham (R-San Diego) seems to be trying something different: standing his conservative ideological ground and permitting his constituents to come over to his way of thinking.

Take the poll he’s conducting via a mass mailer. Here are the alternatives on the Persian Gulf War:

* I’m proud of President Bush and our troops.

* Our allies should pay most of the cost of the Gulf War.

* Not a penny of American tax money should be used to rebuild Iraq.

* Even though Saddam Hussein committed unspeakably brutal atrocities against Kuwait, I still believe we should not have used military force to liberate people.

Take your pick.

Hey, Randy (Duke) how about a little wider range of alternatives if you really want to know how people feel?

Maybe something like “Thank God our troops are home but the Middle East still looks a mess.” Or: “Given the tens of thousands of Iraqis killed, maybe Colin Powell was right: We should have tried sanctions longer.”

On the question of “How I Feel About America,” the Cunningham poll mentions only flag-burning, drugs in schools and big-spenders in Congress.

Doug Perry of the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce says he’s surprised the poll doesn’t ask about free trade, civil rights or a binational airport.

Another constituent, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, says he was “offended” at the narrow choices on the war: “He only wants his own views reaffirmed.”

Ruth Schneider, an Otay Mesa-Nestor activist, dismisses the poll as “red, white and blue, rah-rah-rah nonsense.”

Cunningham’s spokesman, Frank Purcell, says constituents are free to write their own ideas in a small space after each question.

Why does the image of a congressman depending on scribbled suggestions by constituents to broaden his horizons not seem very impressive?

A Look at Local Angles

Here and there.

* There’s always a local angle, even in Czechoslovakian horse racing.

During the Cold War, the Communist Party in Czechoslovakia banned betting on horseflesh as a sign of Western decadence.

Now, the party is gone, and a harness track is being built in Prague. To be stocked with parimutuel computers from International Totalizator Systems Inc. of Carlsbad.

* Sign on door of a Bronco in Tierrasanta: “Please Remove Ski Mask and Gun Holster Before Entering.”

Bumper sticker on same vehicle: “National Rifle Association.”

* The Bishop’s School in La Jolla has been named one of the nation’s top high schools by a presidential blue-ribbon committee.

* Is there an Ayn Rand cell in North County?

Bumper sticker on California 78: “Who Is John Galt?”

(Galt is a character from “Atlas Shrugged.” But you knew that, didn’t you?)

* Even in the post-Desert Storm era, the Vietnam War continues to fascinate filmmakers.

“1st Force,” the story of a Marine officer in the super-secret 1st Force Reconnaissance, starts shooting soon at Camp Pendleton.

To star C. Thomas Howell (“Soul Man”), David Carradine and Robert Loggia.

Misty Plays for TV Cameras

Fans of Misty, the performing horse, take note.

The mugging, hamming, piano-playing Shetland pony of Jamul, whose career was launched by a feature story in the Los Angeles Times a decade ago, is going prime time.

A guest shot on Thursday’s “A Salute to America’s Pets,” on KGTV (Channel 10), 8 p.m. She’ll be the one skipping rope, playing basketball, and saying bye-bye.

You may remember “Misty” from the car commercials with “Shotgun” Tom Kelly. Or maybe her bit with Erma Bombeck on “Good Morning, America.”

Her owner, Ginny Winslow, refers to Misty as the mane attraction of the upcoming show. Then again, she feeds Cheerios one-by-one to her pet/protege, so you’ve got to make some allowances for partisanship.