SAN DIEGO — With the budget deadlock unlocked, members of Congress are returning to their districts to explain what the fight in Washington was all about.
In the case of Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham (R-San Diego), the fight was a real one, albeit brief.
Cunningham says he is unscathed and forgives his Democratic assailant, Rep. Jim Moran of Virginia.
Late Friday, Moran pushed Cunningham from behind as they were leaving the House chambers and then took a swing at him, which Cunningham blocked. "He sucker-punched me," Cunningham said.
Capital police and Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) broke up the confrontation before it could escalate. Moran said he was incensed when, during a debate on sending troops to Bosnia, Cunningham charged that Moran had "switched his vote and turned his back on Desert Storm."
Cunningham later asked that his comment be expunged from the Congressional Record, and Moran took to the floor to apologize, adding, "We are supposed to be engaged in a battle of ideas, demonstrating to the American people and other countries how we settle our differences in a nonviolent way."

