Ross Perot

Henry Ross Perot, known to most as Ross Perot (prior to 1992, generally known as H. Ross Perot by the public) (born June 27, 1930), is a billionaire American businessman from Texas best known as a candidate for President of the United States (in 1992 and 1996). Perot founded Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in 1962. He later left the company, and founded Perot Systems with a similar ethos.

1992 presidential candidacy

On February 20, 1992, he appeared on CNN's Larry King Live and announced his intention to run if his supporters could get his name on the ballot in all 50 states. With such declared policies as balancing the federal budget and enacting electronic direct democracy via "electronic town halls," he became a viable candidate and soon polled roughly even with the major party candidates. Discouraged by a reinvigorated Democratic party ticket of Bill Clinton and Al Gore after the Democratic National Convention, and claiming that Republican operatives were attempting to disrupt his daughter's wedding, Perot announced his withdrawal from the campaign late in the summer of 1992. Nevertheless, in September he qualified for all 50 state ballots. On October 1, he announced his intention to start running again. He campaigned in 16 states and spent an estimated $65.4 million of his own money. Perot's running mate was retired Admiral James Stockdale.

Related Topics:
February 20 - 1992 - CNN - Larry King Live - Federal budget - Electronic direct democracy - Town halls - Democratic - Bill Clinton - Al Gore - Democratic National Convention - Republican - September - October 1 - Admiral James Stockdale

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One reason Perot was so much more successful than typical third-party candidates was that he was allowed to participate in all three debates, based on his standing of having over fifteen percent support in leading public opinion polls, which was (and is) the standard used by the bi-partisan Commission on Presidental Debates. Although his answers were general, Perot's wit, folkisms, and straight talking were so impressive that even many Democrats and Republicans conceded that Perot won at least the first debate.

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One question Perot was continually asked was could he, as an independent, govern?

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Perot responded:

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:"Can we govern? . . . I love that one. The 'we' is you and me. You bet your hat we can govern because we will be there together and we will figure out what to do and you won't tolerate gridlock, you won't tolerate endless meandering and wandering around, and you won't tolerate non-performance. And believe me, anybody that knows me understand I have a very low tolerance for non-performance also. Together we can get anything done."

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Perot also called for a rethinking of basic American assumptions, including the Constitution.

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:"Keep in mind our Constitution predates the industrial revolution. Our founders did not know about electricity, the train, telephones, radio, television, automobiles, airplanes, rockets, nuclear weapons, satellites, or space exploration. There’s a lot they didn’t know about. It would be interesting to see what kind of document they’d draft today. Just keeping it frozen in time won’t hack it."

Related Topics:
Industrial revolution - Electricity - Telephone - Radio - Television - Automobile - Airplane - Rocket - Nuclear weapon - Satellite - Space exploration

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Perot denounced Congress for its inaction in ways that displayed his contempt for the Washington establishment. Washington, Perot said,

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:"has become a town filled with sound bites, shell games, handlers, media stuntmen who posture, create images, talk, shoot off Roman candles, but don't ever accomplish anything. We need deeds, not words, in this city."

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Perot called his 1992 campaign organization United We Stand America. Perot was late in making serious policy proposals, but most of what he did call for were intended to reduce the deficit. He wanted a gasoline tax increase and some cutbacks of Social Security. Perot also opposed NAFTA, urging voters to listen for the "giant sucking sound" of American jobs heading south to Mexico should NAFTA be ratified.

Related Topics:
United We Stand America - Gasoline tax - Social Security - NAFTA - Giant sucking sound - Mexico

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In the 1992 election, he received 19% of the popular vote (but no electoral votes), making him the most successful third-party presidential candidate in terms of the popular vote since Theodore Roosevelt in the 1912 election. Some analysts believe that Perot acted as a spoiler in the election, primarily drawing votes away from Bush and allowing Clinton to win many states with less than a majority of votes. Exit polling data, which is not always reliable, did not confirm this position. Perot managed to finish ahead of one of the two major party candidates in two states: In Maine, Perot received 30.44% of the vote to Bush's 30.39% (Clinton won Maine with 38.77%); In Utah, Perot received 27.34% of the vote to Clinton's 24.65% (Bush won Utah with 43.36%). Many believe that Perot would have had a shot at actually winning electoral votes, and perhaps the election, had he not dropped out and then re-entered the race so soon prior to Election Day.

Related Topics:
1992 election - Electoral - Theodore Roosevelt - 1912 election - Spoiler - Exit polling - Maine - Utah

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Based on his performance in the popular vote in 1992, Perot was entitled to receive federal election funding for 1996.

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