For now, Perot says no

DES MOINES, Iowa (Feb. 2) -- Texas multimillionaire businessman Ross Perot edged away from a second run for the presidency, promising instead to focus on building his new Reform Party. "My job is helping create that party," Perot said Thursday. "We're not talking about a Ross Perot candidacy. We're talking about creating a new party for the American people."

But don't count Perot out yet. Calling for an end to "name-calling, mud-slinging," he did a little slinging of his own, criticizing candidates' calls for a tax cut as "free candy just before the election." Then he promised his new party will field its own presidential candidate, "unless one of the two parties comes up with George Washington the Second."

Could it still be the mercurial millionaire? In 1992, he entered the presidential sweepstakes, dropped out in the summer, then reentered within a matter of months and captured 19 percent of the vote. That siphoned enough support away from President George Bush to hand the election to Bill Clinton.

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