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→Volunteers: issues
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>
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.
In terms of issues Perot activists were decidedly in favor of term limits, suggesting a basic hostility toward professional politicians (like Bush and Clinton). Perot activists were more supportive of greater limits on foreign imports than the general public. Perot made headway with his vigorous opposition to [[NAFTA]], warning against the "giant sucking sound" of jobs leaving America. The Perot activists were more supportive than others of a government-sponsored national health insurance plan. Likewise, they were less supportive of restrictions on abortion, and they were somewhat more likely to support affirmative action. Averaged over all the issues, the Perot activists were more liberal on some issues, and more conservative on others, but strongly agreed that politicians and the old parties were bad and the deficit was ruining America.
===Peak, exit, return===
===Peak, exit, return===
Perot peaked in June, 1992, running even in the polls with incumbent President Bush and with Democrat [[Bill Clinton]]. Pundits speculated that Perot could carry enough electoral votes to keep Clinton and Bush from a majority throwing the decision into the House of Representatives (where Democrats had a majority).
Perot peaked in June, 1992, running even in the polls with incumbent President Bush and with Democrat [[Bill Clinton]]. Pundits speculated that Perot could carry enough electoral votes to keep Clinton and Bush from a majority throwing the decision into the House of Representatives (where Democrats had a majority).