Perot Won’t Use Vietnam Protests Against Clinton

Ross Perot said Friday that Vietnam War protesters were responsible for prolonging the conflict, but he “won’t make hay on that” against Bill Clinton.

Perot was asked if he agreed with his running mate, Vice Adm. James B. Stockdale, who said earlier in the week that war protesters were responsible for extending the imprisonment of American POWs and causing additional loss of life.

“Did the protesters prolong the war? Of course they did. Of course they did,” Perot said on the program “Talking with David Frost” on PBS.

Earlier Friday, Clinton said he still felt that “the people who opposed the war were right,” and took issue with Stockdale’s claim that they prolonged the conflict.

Perot also prepared his final campaign commercials Friday. He has bought 3 1/2 hours of network time on Sunday and Monday.

Perot this weekend will make the most ambitious tour of his campaign, with stops in Tampa, Fla., Kansas City, Mo., and California. He will speak Sunday in Long Beach and Santa Clara.

Perot told Frost that he “won’t make hay” against Clinton’s Vietnam War positions and use it as a campaign issue because “it’s not productive.”