Not only ACE, but the FIRST Ace of the Vietnam War. Cunningham was the only American to shoot down three MiGs in one day. He would receive the Navy Cross for his heroism and superior airmanship on this day.
So for Cunningham to say that he'd "fly on George W. Bush's wing into hell and know he'd get me back alive." is indeed TALL praise.
I had an opportunity to revisit the tape of Cunningham's comments and the exact quote was "I'd fly this President's wing into Hell and know he'd me back."
Press laughed derisively at first like Duke was joking but - Duke doesn't joke about that kind of thing.
Cunningham had another great line. Press said something like "The S-3 Vikings is a more sophisticated plane than the F-102 the President flew?" Duke goes "The F-102 couldn't shoot down a Goodyear Blimp, Bill."
A Naval aviator is physically and emotionally incapable of bypassing an opportunity to rip the Air Force.