THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609170506
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Book Review
SOURCE: BY PATRICK LACKEY
LENGTH: 86 lines
CITIZEN PEROT
His Life & Times
GERALD POSNER
Random House. 400 pp. $25.
It is impossible to believe a man is telling the truth, Mark Twain once observed, when you know that, in his shoes, you'd lie.
Something similar might be said about paranoia. It is impossible to believe a person isn't trying to do something dirty to you when you know that, were roles reversed, you'd be doing something dirty to him.
Many of the dastardly things Reform Party presidential candidate and billionaire Ross Perot accuses others of attempting to do to him are things he has attempted to do, or done, to others, according to Gerald Posner's intriguing new book, Citizen Perot.
``This was almost a Ross Perot genetic disposition. . . ,'' says Perot's former general counsel Richard Shlakman. ``Find the dirt.''
For example, when another company nearly pried an important client away from Perot's firm, Electronic Data Systems, that company's executives were videotaped visiting prostitues.
EDS investigators interviewed the prostitutes.
Says Ken Riedlnger, a former EDS star salesman: ``Most people at my level assumed their phones were tapped at EDS. All the officers I ever talked to about it assumed their phones were tapped, and I felt that way about mine. We would have been surprised if we weren't investigated.''
When Perot objected to a story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, he told the editor, Richard Connor, that he had photographs proving the reporter had a sexual relationship with a city employee. ``Never, in more than 20 years in this business,'' Connor says, ``had anyone suggested anything so seamy, so mean-spirited, when complaining about a newspaper. . . . ''
When Perot formed a political party, he hired credit firms and investigators to check the backgrounds of dozens of the volunteers.
According to Posner, Perot is one investigating son-of-a-gun, quick to believe the worst about anyone who disagrees with him or blocks his path. He inspires fear or loyalty or both in many of the people he knows.
Just the footnotes in Citizen Perot are more intriguing than the best pages of many other biographies. Part of the credit must go to Perot, for being so fascinating. Also, author Posner did voluminous research, part of it with Perot's assistance. A former Wall Street lawyer turned to book writing, Posner is best known for Case Closed, an acclaimed reexamination of the John F. Kennedy assassination.
Practically everybody knows something about Perot.
He made an amazing showing in the 1992 presidential race, winning 19 percent of the vote by running against Washington insiders and lobbyists. Yet, he was, in fact, as one chapter heading reads, ``The ultimate insider.''
He broke an amazing number of promises to presidents, while demanding favors. To Nixon, he pledged $250,000 for the congressional elections, $50 million ``for the benefit of the President'' and $10 million for a pro-Nixon think tank. He came through on none of these promises, then complained that he wasn't on Nixon's Christmas card list.
He pledged $2.5 million to the Ronald Reagan library, then canceled it.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee, to whose members he and EDS executives donated more than $100,000, once passed 20-14 an amendment that they privately called ``Perot's amendment.'' It would have given Perot a $15 million tax break. When word of the amendment leaked, Perot said he would not take advantage of it if it passed. It died in committee.
Today Perot rails against lobbyists, but many a lobbyist is richer because of him.
The author's explanation of how Perot came to believe in various plots against himself or his daughter is detailed here, somewhat tediously. An often distrustful man, Perot trusted some shady characters who fed him wild tales.
But Posner also notes that Perot wants to do good. Or more accurately, he wants to be celebrated for doing good.
Without any luck, but at considerable expense, he attempted to locate Americans lost in action in Vietnam. Typically, he believed the U.S. government was lying to him about MIAs. With his pie charts and forceful personality, he made Democrats and Republicans acknowledge that the national debt should be shrunk.
Citizen Perot contains too many revelations to list here.
If Perot fascinates you, or you feel inclined to vote for him, read this book. MEMO: Patrick Lackey is an editorial writer for The Virginian-Pilot. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
FILE by CNB