When Perot’s people contacted me, I too was frustrated with the political system. I had been around polities and campaigns for 30 years, and I saw a system that wasn’t working. My frustration peaked when President Bush didn’t come up with an agenda after the Los Angeles riots. I though the had a tremendous opportunity to talk to the country about significant problems. I saw in Perot’s candidacy an opportunity to really make a change.
When Hamilton and I first met with Perot, we talked him all through a traditional campaign. We told him there would be all kinds of minefields–the Republicans would come after him, the Democrats would come after him, there would be media scrutiny. Perot seemed totally committed to our game plan. I did not walk away with an impression that he was naive. I thought this was a guy who had great charisma. I saw some Ronald Reagan in him when he talked about values. I saw some of the better qualities of Nixon. Nixon was brilliant–a brilliant politician. I walked out saying this guy’s a natural candidate.
Early on I said to Perot, “Ross, you have to understand this is war; no one’s going to get murdered, but don’t think it’s not every bit as tough. The weapons are lethal in a different way.” He would nod, but I don’t think he really got it. He was in an arena that he knew nothing about. He thought, well, I’ve been through plenty of tough things in my life, and this is no big deal. But the assaults on his character really got to him.
I think if Ross Perot had been a candidate who had started running for the presidency two years ago, like any other candidate does, he would have gone through these kinds of attacks early on, and he would have been much better prepared. Instead, he had a love fest in the early stages of his candidacy, and I think his volunteers-who are truly one of the greatest assets of his campaign-in a way led to his downfall. Because the people who are in your camp are going to tell you exactly what you want to hear.
I think he could have won. But in order to win, we felt very strongly that we had to get out and define him with TV ads, particularly when the negative attacks started. But we were totally unable to get anything done. I’ve been in campaigns before when I didn’t know what a candidate was going to say. I’ve never been in a campaign when I didn’t know where a candidate was. We were always finding out that Perot was on the plane going somewhere. No one would find out where until after the decision was made. It just never was a real presidential campaign. When I came in, it was a petition drive. When I left last Wednesday it still was.
Am I disillusioned by what happened? I certainly feel underused and unappreciated. Thirty days ago this man said, “OK, Rollins and Jordan, you guys know how to do this. I’m getting out of your way. Go elect me president.” But I feel no ill will toward the man. The fact that he bailed out as he did says to me that he got into something he didn’t know was bigger than him. It was a terrain that he clearly didn’t understand. I think he was a lion out of his jungle and he was finding survival very, very tough. And he didn’t want to listen to people like Hamilton and me who had been through this terrain before and could have gotten him through it. So maybe the process works, maybe the ordeal you have to go through does work.
I wouldn’t vote for Ross Perot now. My experience with him over the last 45 days did not show up qualities that I think a president needs. And I’ve worked for three president’s (Nixon, Ford, Reagan). I think you need someone who is very secure, someone who has no conspiracy theories, someone who understands the process and wants to make it work. Ross Perot today is not ready to be president.
