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DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Fri Jul 24, 2015, 12:44 PM Jul 2015

How Donald Trump Could Fall Into the Ross Perot Trap

Eleanor Clift

In 1992, the Texas billionaire thrived on all the free media coverage. But then he refused to spend money. If Trump is serious about a third-party run, he’ll need to shell out.

There was no social media in April 1992 when Texas billionaire Ross Perot announced his third-party candidacy on the Larry King show.

But Perot had 4 million volunteers who called his 800-number, and when Republican strategist Ed Rollins asked what he did with their information, Perot said he had it all on computer cards. Great, Rollins thought. A veteran of many campaigns, including President Reagan’s, he had been brought in to professionalize Perot’s grassroots campaign.

Four million names was like money in the bank in those days, but Perot bristled at the idea of sending “junk mail” to his prized volunteers. “He had no understanding of the game, and when he saw it, he didn’t like it,” Rollins recalled in a phone interview with The Daily Beast. As Perot gained strength in the polls, the media scrutiny intensified, and he told Rollins, “I never got bad press until I hired you and Hamilton (Jordan).”

Rollins told him that he was being treated like any other candidate, and in June 1992, with Perot polling at 39 percent, ahead of both President George H.W. Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton, Jordan, who had been President Carter’s chief of staff, exclaimed, “If we’re not careful, we’ll elect this guy.” Rollins assured him not to worry. He had by then figured out Perot was not going to listen to any of their advice and was temperamentally unsuited to run a campaign, much less the country.

Still, he got 19 percent of the vote in the November election, which was almost 20 million votes, and many analysts believe he handed the election to Clinton. Thirty-two years later, another rich Republican is off the reservation and threatening to run as a third-party candidate. And another Clinton could benefit. “As an Independent, (Donald Trump) would take a certain segment, mostly Republicans, which tilts the race to Hillary,” says Rollins.

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/24/how-donald-trump-could-fall-into-the-ross-perot-trap.html

6 replies

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Highlight:

How Donald Trump Could Fall Into the Ross Perot Trap (Original Post) DonViejo Jul 2015 OP

This article assumes losing the election would not fulfill Trump's goals. jeff47 Jul 2015 #1

'92 seems like a lifetime away vankuria Jul 2015 #2

He'll derail himself metalbot Jul 2015 #3

I'm surprised he hasn't derailed himself already vankuria Jul 2015 #6

There may not have been "social media" back then but there was Usenet and BBS discussion boards. PoliticAverse Jul 2015 #4

Trump is Republican frontrunner, third party threats aside abakan Jul 2015 #5

jeff47

(26,549 posts)

1. This article assumes losing the election would not fulfill Trump's goals.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 12:54 PM

Jul 2015

And that is an error. Trump's goal is to get attention. Losing as an independent candidate will serve that goal just fine.

vankuria

(904 posts)

2. '92 seems like a lifetime away

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 01:02 PM

Jul 2015

Didn't it seems like people had may-be a little bit more sense back then? There was no Fox news, hate radio (may-be I'm mistaken on that one), social media, black man in the white house, gay marriage, 9/11, paranoia, etc. and all the things that make conservative heads explode. With all the hatred out there, this is a perfect time for someone like Trump to exploit every single issue out here whether true or not for his own personal gain. I think it will take a lot for the GOP power structure to derail him.

metalbot

(1,058 posts)

3. He'll derail himself

Reply to vankuria (Reply #2)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 01:10 PM

Jul 2015

We're still many months from the first primaries. He can't continue to run on the "bash illegals platform". The debates will force him to address other issues, and he's going to find more ways to turn off voters. As a total narcisist, he has no ability to apologize, because he believes he's never wrong. So as he paints himself into more corners, and as a viable Republican alternative begins to emerge, he's going to drop hard. I'd be very surprised if he were still running going into the RNC.

vankuria

(904 posts)

6. I'm surprised he hasn't derailed himself already

Reply to metalbot (Reply #3)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 02:23 PM

Jul 2015

I watched his press conference at the border and he doesn't even answer questions, only finds someway to deride the reporter asking. His speeches have no substance, he calls people names and yet there are people cheering him on. Now may-be when the debates roll around and he has to actually say something of substance instead of name calling and nonsense, voters will realize he's over his head, but I have my doubts. After all Dubya won, as inarticulate and stupid as he was.

Very sad commentary on our society that such stupidity makes someone a worthy candidate for the presidency in so many peoples eyes.

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

4. There may not have been "social media" back then but there was Usenet and BBS discussion boards.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 01:16 PM

Jul 2015

What really sank Perot was his announcing that he was quitting the race. By the time he
changed his mind and said he was back in he has lost many supporters.

abakan

(1,819 posts)

5. Trump is Republican frontrunner, third party threats aside

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 01:28 PM

Jul 2015

Rachel Maddow debunks the myth that Ross Perot drew votes away from George H.W.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/face-it-gop--trump-is-republican-frontrunner-490587203574

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