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Political parties

Clinton Campaign Denies Offer to Help Perot's Reform Party

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

President Clinton's re-election campaign has categorically rejected allegations that they offered to help Ross Perot's new political party, the Reform Party, get on the ballot in California. The claim was made by Perot's pollster, Gordon Black, who alleged that Clinton campaign strategist Dick Morris offered to help the Reform Party in California. However, Clinton deputy campaign manager Ann Lewis denied the allegations, stating that Morris had admitted to speaking regularly with Black but had never offered any assistance.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Clinton campaign denies any involvement in helping the Reform Party get on the ballot in California, despite allegations from Perot's pollster, Gordon Black.
  • Clinton campaign strategist Dick Morris admits to speaking regularly with Black, but insists he never offered any assistance to the Reform Party.
  • The Clinton campaign has a policy of not helping other candidates, which was confirmed several weeks ago after Perot's party missed an initial deadline for registering in California.
  • Ann Lewis, Clinton's deputy campaign manager, stated that the campaign will not take any action to influence Perot's decisions for the 1996 presidential race.
  • Gordon Black told The Cleveland Plain-Dealer that Morris made the offer of help during a phone conversation, claiming that he was "appalled" by the question.
  • Dick Morris denied the charge, stating that he had only asked Black how the California campaign was progressing and had urged him to "keep me posted".

Statistics:

  • 43%: The percentage of the nationwide vote that President Clinton won in the 1992 presidential election.
  • 19%: The percentage of the nationwide vote that Ross Perot won in the 1992 presidential election.
  • 89,007: The number of registration forms that the Reform Party needed to collect to qualify for the March 1996 primary in California.

Sources:

  • United Press International

The Cleveland Plain-Dealer

"President Clinton's Campaign Denies Helping the Reform Party" (October 24, 1995)

"Morris Denies Offer to Help Reform Party" (October 24, 1995)

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