Readers Debate Perot’s Inclusion in Debates

By a 3-to-1 ratio, readers responding to a Times Orange County poll called, faxed and e-mailed their overwhelming support for including Ross Perot in the presidential debates. Here’s a sampling of responses:

Want Perot in Debate

“Yes! Let him debate. As least he won’t call the Dodgers the Brooklyn Dodgers.”

--Trace Lambert, 44, Anaheim

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“The two-party system is afraid of the topics that he’s going to bring up, not of him personally, but of the topics he’s going to bring up, and they are stonewalling him from participating in the debates.”

--Vince Mariner, 61, Brea

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“I feel that all the candidates should be included in the debate or else it’s not a debate, not a true democracy.”

--Doris Flair, 70, Anaheim

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“We have an investment in Ross Perot. He’s gotten our tax dollars and I think we need to hear what he has to say.”

--Dorothy Chapman, 72, San Clemente

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“Why not? Why shouldn’t he be able to? Isn’t this the United States of America? That’s ridiculous that they are even considering that he shouldn’t be allowed.”

--Helen Saenz, 64, San Juan Capistrano

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“He may not win, but I think he will add substantially to getting the truth out.”

--Lyman Burgmeier, 61, Cypress

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“It’s only fair that Perot should be in that debate. . . . We don’t want to end up with just two opinions on this thing.”

--Edwin R. Roth, 81, Lake Forest

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“I’m not a Perot fan either, but it will definitely liven up the debates. They’re too dull as they are. We need somebody that’s got some different ideas.”

--Susan Guenther, 53, Laguna Niguel

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“Not only do I believe that Ross Perot should be included, I think that Ralph Nader should be included and all the independent parties should be included, if not with the other major candidates, at least give them time on national television that they can debate.”

--Connie Fleischhauer, 74, Brea

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“The so-called bipartisan commission is not the correct group to make this determination. It should be a group consisting of people who are independents. I don’t think anybody with as much national exposure as Ross Perot should be denied access to the podium.”

--Stewart Berlin, 58, Laguna Beach

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“He at least brings two or three issues that Clinton and Dole will not want to discuss, namely: campaign finance reform, the trade deals of NAFTA and GATT and World Trade Organization, and finally the issues of what to do about the pensions, the Social Security system and the continuing growth of interest on the national debt.”

--Mitchell Freedman, 39, Lake Forest

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“I feel that Ross Perot should be able to participate along with the Libertarian candidate and the Green Party candidate. There should be a forum for all of their messages, because they all have valuable things to say.”

--Linda McPherson, 54, Anaheim

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“I believe the Democrats and the Republicans, and also the news media, are keeping Mr. Perot out of being able to . . . expose his views. He is a legitimate candidate and it is unbelievable that he is not allowed into this system.”

--Don Ponting, 64, Huntington Beach

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“The main reason the other candidates don’t want Ross Perot to participate is because they are afraid of him. . . . of what he’s going to say, because his opinions seem to make more sense. “

--Cheryl Bailey, 37, Trabuco Canyon

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“Ross Perot is the greatest living American today and he’s telling the people the truth, but the government does not want to hear that. Both parties are in the same boat.”

--Gladys Collins, 69, Laguna Hills

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“Mr. Perot has no chance of becoming the president, but he certainly has the opportunity to let the public understand that there’s a lot more to the policies of the United States than meets the eye.”

--Joseph Craveiro, 60, Costa Mesa

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“He has a very good understanding of what it takes to operate a business. Considering our national debt, our government needs to operate slightly more like a business to bring things under control. I don’t think he should be president, but he certainly would bring good information to the debate.”

--Scott Stratton, 36, Costa Mesa

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“I’m a Democrat, but I’m always interested in listening to his ideas. As far as I’m concerned, every dog deserves his day.”

--Grace Barnes, 82, San Clemente

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“Not only should Perot be allowed to participate, but also the Green Party candidate, Ralph Nader, and Harry Browne, the Libertarian Party candidate. Why not? The fact that these parties are being shut out, is an example of why our bipartisan system does not work.”

--Sam Spector, 32, Seal Beach

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“He should be allowed to debate because this is America and he is getting matching funds so we should be able to hear his comments. He’s so stupid it will make anybody else look good.”

--Thelma Clingan, 70, Seal Beach

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“It seems like censorship. It just doesn’t seem right that they choose who I listen to.”

--Rich Dressler, 42, Anaheim

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“It looks as if both political parties have banded together to eliminate him from the debates because he did so well in them last time. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it sure looks that way.”

--David Tennant, 58, Orange

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“I’m a member of United We Stand America and the Reform Party. Ross Perot received 19% of the vote in 1992. We have every right to be included in the debates and it’s unconstitutional not to include us.”

--Tom Fray, 36, Huntington Beach

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“It should not be sewed up between the two candidates who don’t know what they’re doing and all they can do is tax, tax, tax and screw up the country.”

--Thomas T. Wood, 78, Huntington Beach

Do Not Want Perot in Debate

“He just doesn’t deserve it. He’s too low, percentage-wise, among registered voters. He’s not going to get elected anyway, so why do we have to listen to someone who is a bag of air?”

--Martie Schrank, Fullerton

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“He’s financing a one-man party. It’s not necessarily representative of a wide spectrum.”

--Nancy Kelly, Santa Ana

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“We’ve seen enough of him on those info-commercials. If he were in the debates, that would make me not watch them. That’s how crazy he makes me when I see him.”

--Chloe Molnar, 66, Huntington Beach

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“It makes a sham out American politics and it’s almost gut-wrenching that at this point in time he reappears one more time to be the buffoon. If the Reform Party comes up with another serious candidate such as [Colin] Powell, wonderful, then put him in, but not Ross Perot.”

--Donald Vaugh Micklos, 59, Buena Park

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“He is simply a destroyer. The man is a fraud. I just feel that the man is a total liar and has no right to be on television with two proper candidates.”

--Marilyn Ratigan, 60, San Clemente

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“We should not have to listen to the windbag again.”

--Betty P. Forrest, 62, Mission Viejo

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“He is a whining little peon moron. I don’t even think we should even give him the time of day.”

--Mary Smith, 38, Costa Mesa

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“He’s not a viable candidate. That’s like the Houston Astros or the California Angels thinking they should be part of the World Series.”

--Travis Clauson, 30, Monarch Beach

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“Perot forfeited his opportunity to be included when he opted out of the last election. Why should we listen to him again to have him opt out at a later date?”

--Dixie Mitchell, 55, Irvine

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“He’s on a personal ego trip to see what he can do to get into politics, buying his way in. He’s trying to buy his way through and if he can’t get in one way, he’ll sue his way into it.”

--John Gobbell, 59, Newport Beach

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“What Perot did during the last election was absolutely unthinkable. And there’s no doubt in my mind that after all this hoopla, the same thing will happen again.”

--Betty Morrin, 68, Irvine

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“The jerk should absolutely not be allowed to debate with these two people, one of which will be the president of the United States. The man is an idiot, he’s a spoiler. Based on his past histrionics, absolutely not.”

--Dennis Bazant, 58, Garden Grove

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“He’s not serious about this election, he’s just trying to destroy the Republicans’ chance of winning. . . . And they need all the help they can get right now.”

--Don Fullman, 43, Laguna Niguel

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“He wouldn’t debate the opponent in his own party. . . . The only thing Perot should run for is dogcatcher.”

--Dan Duckworth, 56, Anaheim Hills