Ross Perot

He broke the hearts of his supporters.

He had a knack for reducing the complexities of politics to their simple, and often absurd elements.

He danced for national television on election night.

He nearly won in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.

Americans owe Ross Perot a debt.

The bill is for the shock treatment of the Perot message. He personalized politics:

It’s your government.

Elected officials are your employees.

I’m doing this for you, and for your children.

Liberated by Ross, the crazy aunt in the basement (the national debt and the chronic federal deficit) took a high-profile seat at America’s family table.

He pinned targets to the $1,000 suits of the international lobbyists and scuffed the alligator shoes of the special interest peddlers in the capital.

He renewed the faith of frustrated, jaded middle-class voters.

He inspired thousands of young people to register and participate.

He made politics real for millions of children.

Ross Perot, conservative supersalesman, gave the campaign pizazz.

Mercurial, by nature authoritarian, he was a candidate commited to principle. He was a lover of the game. Deep inside, he was disinterested in winning.

Perot knew something about himself that millions of Americans learned the hard, painful, personal way: He has the ability to lead, but lacks the temperament to govern.

He’ll be back.