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[[Image:Ross Perot 1992.jpg|thumb|right|Ross Perot campaigning for President in 1992.]]'''Ross Perot''' (b.1930), entrepreneur, and independent presidential candidate in 1992 and 1996.  Perot became a major figure in the 1992 presidential election through his forceful personality, his crusading style against the [[corruption]] of federal deficits, and his articulation of many people's anger and frustration with the political system. His money brought him fame, credibility, and a large, well-paid staff.   

[[Image:Ross Perot 1992.jpg|thumb|right|Ross Perot campaigning for President in 1992.]]'''Ross Perot''' (b.1930), entrepreneur, and independent presidential candidate in 1992 and 1996.  Perot became a major figure in the 1992 presidential election through his forceful personality, his crusading style against the [[corruption]] of federal deficits, and his articulation of many people's anger and frustration with the political system. His money brought him fame, credibility, and a large, well-paid staff.   

==Business==

==Business==

He became a billionaire as head of the computer company [[Electronic Data Systems]], which held very large contracts with the federal government for processing Medicare and Medicaid claims. He sold it to general Motors for a vast sum and a seat on the GM board. GM could not handle such an unconventional outsider, and they bought him out for another large sum. By 1992 his portfolio of holdings added up into the billions, making him one of the two richest political figures of the era.<ref> The other was [[Michael Bloomberg]], currently mayor of New York City. [[Henry A. Wallace]] reached the billionaire status after he left politics.</ref>

He became a billionaire as head of the computer company Electronic Data Systems, which held very large contracts with the federal government for processing Medicare and Medicaid claims. He sold it to general Motors for a vast sum and a seat on the GM board. GM could not handle such an unconventional outsider, and they bought him out for another large sum. By 1992 his portfolio of holdings added up into the billions, making him one of the two richest political figures of the era.<ref> The other was [[Michael Bloomberg]], currently mayor of New York City. [[Henry A. Wallace]] reached the billionaire status after he left politics.</ref>

 

==Reformer==

==Reformer==

In the [[United States presidential election, 1992|1992 Presidential election]] he ran for President as an [[independent candidate]] and won 19% of the vote, which is the most any independent candidate has ever received.   

In the [[United States presidential election, 1992|1992 Presidential election]] he ran for President as an [[independent candidate]] and won 19% of the vote, which is the most any independent candidate has ever received.   

===Volunteers===

===Volunteers===

Everything about Perot's candidacy was unconventional. He launched it on a television talk show in February 1992, saying that if volunteers placed his name on the ballot in fifty states, he would run for President. But his campaign began well before the ballot work was finished, in mid September, and Perot himself put substantial funds into the work of his "volunteers." The crew-cut, plain-talking, can-do Perot captured people's imagination and frustrated independents, mostly conservatives who distrusted the Republican Party, rallied to his banner. He became the leader of a substantial movement.   

Everything about Perot's candidacy was unconventional. He launched it on a television talk show in February 1992, saying that if volunteers placed his name on the ballot in fifty states, he would run for President. But his campaign began well before the ballot work was finished, in mid September, and Perot himself put substantial funds into the work of his "volunteers." The crew-cut, plain-talking, can-do Perot captured people's imagination and frustrated independents, mostly conservatives who distrusted the Republican Party, rallied to his banner. He became the leader of a substantial movement.<ref> See James A. McCann, et al. "Heeding The Call: An Assessment of Mobilization into H. Ross Perot's 1992 Presidential Campaign." ''American Journal of Political Science'' 1999 43(1):1-28. in [[EBSCO]]</ref>  

Perot's vast fortune clearly helped him reach the electorate, and gave him credibility as a man who understands finance, but without his ability to mobilize an army of dedicated supporters he would have cut a smaller figure. The candidate's name appeared on the ballot in all fifty states thanks to the the dogged efforts of unpaid volunteer activists who heeded Perot's call for help on the "Larry King" show. Virtually overnight, thousands of citizens stepped forward in response to Perot's appeals to staff local campaign headquarters and circulate petitions. All of the accouterments of a national political campaign sprung up as billboards, buttons, and bumper stickers appeared, and political rallies were skillfully orchestrated.  Perot developed what might have been the most effective campaign organization of the three general election candidates, even though his was brand new and even though--or perhaps because--it lacked the history and permanence of a major political party organization.  

Perot's vast fortune clearly helped him reach the electorate, and gave him credibility as a man who understands finance, but without his ability to mobilize an army of dedicated supporters he would have cut a smaller figure. The candidate's name appeared on the ballot in all fifty states thanks to the the dogged efforts of unpaid volunteer activists who heeded Perot's call for help on the "Larry King" show. Virtually overnight, thousands of citizens stepped forward in response to Perot's appeals to staff local campaign headquarters and circulate petitions. All of the accouterments of a national political campaign sprung up as billboards, buttons, and bumper stickers appeared, and political rallies were skillfully orchestrated.  Perot developed what might have been the most effective campaign organization of the three general election candidates, even though his was brand new and even though--or perhaps because--it lacked the history and permanence of a major political party organization.