Main Page Campaign Overview The Phone Bank Organization Communications Withdrawal Picking Up the Pieces Re-Entry and Fall Campaign

Perot Petition Committee

The Perot Petition Committee had its origins in the phone bank that started up following Perot's February 20 appearance on Larry King Live.  As Spring progressed, volunteer organizations in the states came to the fore, while in Dallas, attorney Thomas W. Luce, a longtime Perot advisor, headed up a small organization, occasionally filling in some missing pieces, for example with addition of a press secretary in June.  On May 5 Perot announced he would cut interviews and appearances to spend time "building an organization, finalizing a strategy and developing carefully thought-out positions on each of the major issues."  John P. White, general manager of Eastman-Kodak's computer-based products division, was brought on as issues coordinator on May 7. 

The big change came on June 3, when the Committee announced the addition of veteran political operatives Ed Rollins and Hamilton Jordan as co-managers (+).  Rollins noted that "we're sort of here without a real campaign." The challenge, he said, "now that the professionals are on" was not to discourage the grassroots, or, as Jordan said, "those things about it that are so special and unique."   Rollins, in charge of day-to-day operations, brought on new national staff.  Additionally, effective July 1 acting state coordinators were supplanted by paid full-time state directors.  As this effort to build a "real" campaign organization progressed, tensions grew.  Rollins felt his efforts were being impeded.  On July 15 he resigned, and some of the staff he had brought on board were let go as well.  On July 16, Perot withdrew, dealing a huge shock to the grassroots. 

Over the next days state directors gathered in Dallas and formed a steering committee which met with Perot to try to figure out how to pick up the pieces (+).  This led to formation of United We Stand, America "to organize, to educate, to participate in the political process, and to hold our public servants accountable."  Orson Swindle served as executive director.

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(March to June 3, 1992)
Acting State Coordinators – In April, volunteers in the states began to organize.  The acting state coordinators, people of widely varying backgrounds and skills, emerged from the ranks of the volunteers.

Regional Coordinators – "Young turks," each responsible for about half a dozen states, provided liaison between Dallas and the state coordinators.

Dallas
Chairman of the Perot Petition Committee  Thomas W. Luce
Dallas lawyer, chairman of First Southwest Company, and longtime Perot adviser.

Senior Advisor  Mort Meyerson
Myerson had joined E.D.S. in the mid-1960s and was a former president of the company. 

Legal Counsel  R. Clayton Mulford

The Volunteer Phone Bank  Rose Cannaday

Press Secretary  James Squires
(hiring announced April 22, began working a few days earlier to clear up the backlog of media inquiries)  A former editor at the Chicago Tribune, Squires had covered many presidential campaigns in his career.

Issues Coordinator  John P. White
(May 7)  General manager of Eastman-Kodak's computer-based products division.

Pollster  Frank Luntz
(May 26)

(June 3 to July 15)
Chairman of the Perot Petition Committee  Thomas W. Luce
Dallas lawyer, chairman of First Southwest Company, and longtime Perot adviser.

Senior Advisor  Mort Meyerson
Myerson had joined E.D.S. in the mid-1960s and was a former president of the company.  He was named head of Perot Systems when Perot stepped down in May.

Co-Manager [day-to-day operations]  Ed Rollins
Rollins managed Ronald Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign.

Co-Manager [chief strategist]  Hamilton Jordan
Leave of absence from position as executive at Whittle Communications, Jordan was the strategist behind Jimmy Carter's win in 1976.

Press Secretary  Sharon Holman
(July 7)  A long-time Perot aide, Holman took over the press secretary role from Squires.

Legal Counsel  R. Clayton Mulford

The Volunteer Phone Bank  Rose Cannaday

State Campaign Directors
Beginning July 1 the state coordinators were supplanted by paid, full-time state directors.  In some cases these were chosen from among the  state coordinators, and in other cases not.


Staff brought on by Ed Rollins included:
Ad Team  Hal Riney
Riney developed Reagan's 1984 "Morning in America" ad theme.  He unveiled some spots at Perot's July 7 event and had a large crew shooting footage there.  Perot found Riney's work too expensive, others found it unimpressive, and none of it aired.

Reported by the Washington Post:
Deputy Campaign Manager Charles Leonard  -  Field Representative Joe Canzeri and Jim Howell - Sal Russo and Tony Marsh - Peter Schechter - Communications Consultant Bob Barkin.

United We Stand, America

late July
Executive Director  Orson Swindle
Swindle had directed the Perot effort in Hawaii from July 3.  A native of Georgia, he headed the Farmers Home Administration (Dept. of Agriculture) and was Assistant Secretary for the Economic Development Administration (Dept. of Commerce) under Reagan.  Swindle's military career included more than 200 combat missions in Vietnam and more than 6 years as a POW.