Posted on 07/05/2015 1:10:14 PM PDT by Diago
Even before channel-surfing became a national sport in this country, the paid political program had fallen out of favor. Most viewers, the conventional wisdom went, would turn off such a program. And those who did not were probably already supporting the candidate on the screen, anyway.
Then in early October, Ross Perot went on the air with a set of cardboard graphics and 16.5 million people tuned in for what amounted to a 30-minute lecture. Since then, Mr. Perot's paid political programs have consistently outdrawn many sit-coms. (On Friday night, a half-hour program in which Mr. Perot introduced his family attracted 10.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.)
As with so many aspects of his campaign, Mr. Perot's 30-minute commercials seem to defy decades' worth of political experience. But there is still little cause to believe that what has worked for the idiosyncratic and extremely well-financed Perot campaign would be the best course for more conventional candidates. And if President Bush and Gov. Bill Clinton are not rushing to buy half-hour blocks of network time, experts say they probably have a good reason.
One half-hour of network time can run from $150,000 to $700,000. For the same amount, a candidate can flood a television market in a contested state with 30-second advertisements. Candidates like Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush, who are accepting Federal campaign money, have to make decisions about which of these advertising ventures would be the best use of their limited dollars. Mr. Perot, the Daddy Warbucks of the 1992 campaign, does not. Election Eve Ads
Mr. Clinton did buy 30-minute chunks of local television time during the primary season. In several states, including New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, the Clinton campaign bought a half-hour of television time and invited undecided voters to question the Arkansas Governor.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Right now I am more of a Cruz guy, but we all should be backing the Donald in his illegal immigration battle with the Establishment & media. If they manage to destroy Trump on this issue, no one else will ever have the guts and resources to take it on. A Trump defeat on this issue would be a severe loss for Free Speech.
And the only way for Trump to win it is go straight to the people with some extended Perot type ads. And soon. Romney let the left brand him early and his campaign never recovered.
Perot at least sounded like a serious man until he ran off the rails.
I was totally going to vote for Perot back then. I was a believer, and then he started to unravel, with one bizarre personal story after the other. I think Perot never thought he would actually get that close to attracting high amounts of voters, and I think he realized he was not quite up to the task.
Better that he implode before the election vs after. Trump may be doing the same thing. No one really knows what Donalds’ end game is, perhaps he doesn’t even know, but is enjoying the ride for the moment. Me too.
Perot didn’t want to win. That’s why he suspended his campaign and got back in.
He was all about dividing the GOP coalition and electing Billy Jeff. Mission accomplished.
Like Trump, Ross Perot was also pro-abortion and a gun banner, actually Perot wanted to go door to door in Texas, and confiscate guns, Trump wants to ban what he calls “assault rifles”, both are pro-abortion.
Well who knows what Trumps real motivation is. He’s suddenly an anti-imigrant anti-Chinese anti-trade USA Super Patriot?
Agree.
i'm not sure Trump can go 15 more months without self-destructing, but I would love to see him use his resources and megaphone to go on Primetime TV for 30 minutes and just blow up the illegal immigration issue.
Remember, all Perot actually accomplished was to let Clinton win twice without ever getting an actual majority of the votes.
We really can't make these social issue compromises anymore because only bad leaders want us to abort and marry for population control. They look upon us as masses to be herded.
It's time to pick a Christian and ask God for forgiveness.
“Remember, all Perot actually accomplished was to let Clinton win twice without ever getting an actual majority of the votes.”
Yes indeed.
And when the smoke clears, Trump will have done the same thing. Just because he’s currently saying things you agree with does not mean you should trust him. He is a long time Clinton supporter. His goal is to split the establishment and conservative republican vote, so that Hillary can win.
Illegal immigration is just one facet of illegal government. What I would like to see him do is a TV special on how the latter harms people of all nationalities, all walks of life, all income levels and all political persuasions.
Stick with Cruz. This is a rope-dope.
I think Trump pays for ads like this but Cruz does the talking, and America will love him, and vote for him.
Notice he’s the only one backing Trump up.
I truly think Trump is helping beat back GOPe for Cruz right now, and isn’t looking to be president. He knows Cruz is the best person to lead, and Cruz is pro-business, not pro-Wall-Street.
He’s got the argument of immigration in front of all Americans, more issues to come.
You fail to mention why Perot got almost 20% of the vote.
So, I will help you out.
Bush broke his promise “read my lips, no new taxes”.
Bush left millions of votes on the table by ignoring the wishes of
millions of Americans.
Perot’s strength came from a weak GOP.
Lesson: Ignore the concerns of millions of American voters at your own risk.
It’s his 1996 election eve ad I wish I could find a copy of.
“Well who knows what Trumps real motivation is. He’s suddenly an anti-imigrant anti-Chinese anti-trade USA Super Patriot?”
I’m with you. Trump joined the USFL and destroyed it from within, back in the 1980’s. Everything he recommended did maximum damage to the league. He’s an instigator, very much like Perot.
And you fail to mention why you knowingly elected Bill Clinton. Big deal, twenty percent. You got snookered.
Perot gave us Bill Clinton, who won the general election with just 43% of the popular vote.
Mission Accomplished...the rest is history.
Of course, from what I remember of that campaign, Bush Sr. didn't show much fight himself anyway.
...and America hasn't been the same since.
i guess you incapable of understanding the issues that drove Americans
to Perot.
As such, don’t be surprised if history repeats itself with Trump or
someone like Trump.
It’s not hard. Address the issues millions of Americans have concerns
about and you won’t have the Trumps or the Perot’s filling the void.
I supported Perot from early on. He built up a good lead over Bush and Clinton and then pulled his withdrawal stunt late summer 1992. He’d had poll ratings in the high 30s when he led the field, then managed only 19% after returning to the campaign.
After he dropped out and came back, I voted for GHWB.
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