Perot’s Charges of ‘Dirty Tricks’

In response to “Perot Charges Plot Forced Him Out; ‘Loony,’ GOP Says,” Oct. 26, and “Angry Perot Defends Claim of GOP Smear,” Oct. 27:

The “popular” re-emergence of Ross Perot as a presidential candidate would be a political joke if it did not have such serious implications. Perot’s incredible new reasons for his July withdrawal, just publicized, are personal and at wide variance from those more logical reasons expressed previously.

Whatever the real reasons for his earlier withdrawal, his re-entry into the campaign has turned out to be less positive a factor than his earlier campaign. While he has continued to emphasize the seriousness of the national debt, his heavy-handed solutions would do little to cure the current recession.

Moreover, if indeed he did withdraw from the race earlier due to the threats of Republican “dirty tricks,” he again reveals how thin-skinned and paranoid he is--not characteristics desirable for an American President. He is unwilling to face the tough questions and processes that we force upon our candidates, unwilling even to face full press conferences and the normal rounds of public campaign appearances.

He wants to use friendly press appearances and “freebies” as much as possible, and to duck tough questions about his own weak vice presidential candidate--albeit Adm. James Stockdale is a historic U.S. war hero.

Both Perot and Stockdale have contributed to America’s political history; they should be honored for that, but should be relegated to history and not taken seriously as candidates in 1992.

WILLIAM S. CALDWELL

Laguna Hills