PERSPECTIVES ON ROSS PEROT : He Gave the System a Good Shaking : How has the would-be third candidate’s presence in--and now absence from--the race affected our political life? : A Penchant for Privacy

Ross Perot may have discovered what a number of us already noticed: He is totally unsuited to American public life. This is especially true because the constraints of the Constitution require that politicians cultivate openness, and not only a tolerance for scrutiny by others but a positive willingness to cooperate with them.

While manipulative loners can occasionally go a long way in American politics, a little exposure to public office before running for President would help anybody get used to the challenges and the stresses of public service as practiced by Americans. Until recently, Perot missed that point. Perhaps now, despite his hollow denials, he gets it.