Dole: Perot Was Close To Supporting Him

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Nov. 3) -- Reform Party candidate Ross Perot was near agreeing to ask his supporters to vote for Bob Dole but then changed his mind, Dole said today in an interview on ABC's "This Week With David Brinkley."

"I talked to Ross Perot several times on the telephone and at one time, I thought we were heading toward some agreement," Dole said in the interview taped Friday. "The thinking was that, first of all I know Ross Perot quite well. He has contributed to my campaign" in the past.

Dole said he sent a mutual friend to initially broach the idea with Perot. The initiative later collapsed and Dole was embarrassed when his campaign manager was flatly rejected by the Texas billionaire.

"He doesn't want to re-elect Bill Clinton. He says that is his goal," Dole said in the interview with Brinkley taped at the Gerald R. Ford library. "We knew we need the votes and he has the votes. I can beat one candidate, but it's hard to beat two."

Dole spent much time discussing a primary campaign theme in recent weeks, the so-called trust factor and his accusations that Clinton changed his position on a host of issues including raising taxes. Dole said if he could summarize his campaign on a bumper sticker it would be "I Keep My Word."

"The president of the United States is the most important job in the world," Dole told Brinkley. "You have a very special obligation to the American people and you can't violate that trust. Decency and honesty are values people haven't forgotten."

Dole conceded he is the underdog but insisted he will still pull out a surprise victory the way Harry Truman did. (256K WAV sound courtesy ABC)

"I see a lot of excitement out there. I think we are going to win this race," Dole said. "There is a big undecided out there. The people are the polls. We think it is going to be a very close race."

Related Story:

• Perot Calls Dole Plea 'Weird,' Won't Quit Race -- Oct. 24, 1996