This man won 19% of the vote for President in 1992: The crazy uncle in the basement

[BurtWorm]

Posted by Michael Cohen of Democracy Arsenal:

http://www.democracyarsenal.org/2008/01/the-crazy-uncle.html


I had to pass along these choice nuggets from Jonathon Alter's recent interview with Ross Perot. When you read them, keep in mind that not only did 19% of the American public vote for him in 1992, but in June of that year he led both the popular vote and the electoral college vote:

PEROT ON OBAMA:

When I asked about Barack Obama, Perot said he admired his eloquence but thought it "a
little odd that we would be less concerned about his background than being a Mormon." Perot was pleasantly surprised when I told him that Obama was a Christian, not a Muslim, and relieved when I informed him that the e-mail Perot (and untold others) received about Obama not respecting the Pledge of Allegiance was a fraud.

PEROT ON MCCAIN:

Perot's real problem with McCain is that he believes the senator hushed up evidence that live POWs were left behind in Vietnam and even transferred to the Soviet Union for human experimentation, a charge Perot says he heard from a senior Vietnamese official in the 1980s. "There's evidence, evidence, evidence," Perot claims. "McCain was adamant about shutting down anything to do with recovering POWs."

PEROT ON MORMONS:

Perot says he intends to vote for Mitt Romney in the Texas Republican primary on March 4, citing Romney's experience in business and his family values. "When I went to the Naval Academy and met my first Mormons I asked why so many were excellent officers," Perot recalls. "I learned it was because of their strong family unit."

PEROT ON CHINA:

He attributes the success of China to the fact that even uneducated Chinese must learn 3,000 characters early in life, compared to the 26 letters in the English alphabet. "Their hand-eye productivity is incredible because of drawing the symbols," Perot says, noting that most of today's Ph.D.s in engineering are from China and India, and only a small percentage from the United States.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

1. Oy vey. nt

[Radio_Lady]

7. I can't think of it in Yiddish; but he's an absolute asshole... then and now.

[BurtWorm]

8. Shmuck

Doesn't mean asshole, but something very close, so to speak.

[TahitiNut]

10. "Schmuck"

:shrug: Sometimes "Yutz" ... but that's kinder.

[Radio_Lady]

11. Works for me... either spelling! Thanks...

[Kutjara]

2. He certainly puts the Ross...

...in "gRoss ignorance," doesn't he? The man is an industrial-strength loon. Sadly, loons form a pretty large percentage of the American electorate.

[LoZoccolo]

3. Well hey, I just got another tip on how to think like a billionaire.

I guess I need to start believing those emails people forward around.

[russian33]

4. it would be funny

if it wasn't so sad...Perot on McCain..wow, just wow!

[gateley]

5. I'd forgotten Perot's fight to learn the truth about the MIA's. That's to be

commended, even if he is flaky.

[Wickerman]

6. In 1996 I saw Perot speak to about 20 people

It was the day before the election and we were in San Antonio TX. Even in Texas that was the best he could muster. I brought my 5 yea old daughter - we also saw Bill Clinton the Saturday before. She loved Clinton. All she said about Perot was the he was angry, funny looking and had big ears.

It was truly a sad day, sitting there with thosde 20 people, watching that "crazy uncle in the attic", when I considered how much ink was spilled on reporting on the old character.

[Johonny]

9. I have to say

I saw him talk about the US economy long before he ran for president and was pretty impressed. I also like the idea of using visuals in his speeches.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

12. Ross Perot is a bit nutty.

But you have to admit, he was spot on about NAFTA.

[HooptieWagon]

13. Don't forget

Perot was railing against the proposed NAFTA Bill (which was passed). Yea, crazy old uncle, but he was right about some stuff.

[Hekate]

14. Molly Ivins said he used to call her up; she did a hilarious imitation of his voice...

...she rather accurately said he sounded like a Chihuahua. Molly also said that out there in Texas his family name was pronounced pee-rot.

Anyhow, yes, he's definitely one of our crazy uncles.

Hekate

[pansypoo53219]

15. simplistic thinking.

8 years of that was enough.