Perot gave a speech in 1991 or 1992 to the National Press Club in which he roasted the two major parties for ignoring the deficit.   That's the first time I saw him, and it was before he became a candidate.  

 

And here it is!   http://www.c-span.org/video/?25063-1/ame...cal-system

 

That impressed me, because I agreed that the deficit was the elephant in the room and the two parties were refusing to say anything about it.   And apparently a lot of other people were impressed, too, because midway through the campaign he was neck and neck with Clinton and Bush, in a statistical tie.  

 

But, the reality of a major political campaign with all the scrutiny was too much for him.   He wasn't cut out to be a politician.   He couldn't round up anyone to be his running mate, so he wound up with Stockdale, and then he withdrew unexpectedly, citing some sort of conspiracy to ruin his daughter's wedding.  Then he got back in!   But by then, his brand was ruined and all he did was syphon off votes from Bush (I think) and Clinton got elected with 43% of the vote. 

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