April 17, 2016

"Crazy" the way we've forgotten Ross Perot.

Here's Nick Corasaniti, writing in the NYT "Ad of the Week" column:
The ad is titled “Crazy.” It opens with a picture of Senator Ted Cruz looking mischievous and Mr. Trump with mouth agape, seemingly mid-rant. But leveling the actual “crazy” accusation is not the role of the narrator in this ad from New Day for America, the “super PAC” supporting Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. That falls to Patsy Cline, whose 1961 recording of Willy Nelson’s “Crazy” provides the ad’s soundtrack. The rest of the lyric: “I’m crazy for trying, and crazy for crying. And I’m crazy for loving you,” is barely audible under the narrator’s voice.
How can a prominent analyzer of political promotions write about the use of the song "Crazy" in a political ad and not mention that — back in 1992 — the song was the theme song of the Ross Perot campaign?
Ross Perot promised an unconventional campaign. He certainly delivered. In an oddly listless final day of campaigning, Perot addressed a disappointingly small rally in his hometown of Dallas, bought two final hours of prime-time television exposure, then retreated to the comfortable seclusion of his high-rise offices.

While his Democratic and Republican rivals were exhausting themselves in a frenzy of last-minute politicking, Perot seemed serene as he appeared before perhaps 3,500 followers in the 17,000-seat Reunion Arena in downtown Dallas. He thanked his supporters and summarized his roller-coaster candidacy this way: "What we've been through hasn't been pretty, but by golly you're taking your country back."

While again predicting victory in all 50 states in today's balloting, Perot also announced that he had adopted the Patsy Cline classic "Crazy" as the official theme song of his quixotic candidacy. President Bush last week said that Perot's allegations that Republican dirty tricksters had plotted to smear his daughter and disrupt her wedding were "crazy."

"There are millions of crazy people in this country," Perot told the crowd as he urged them to round up all their crazy friends and get them to vote. "And I'll say tomorrow I bet it'll be a crazy day at the polls."...

As he had at the weekend rallies, Perot characterized both President Bush and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton as unfit to lead the country out of its economic morass. He said that of the three candidates, only he is qualified to address fundamental economic problems because of his business acumen.
Ah! The resonance!

I wish I could embed this: Ross Perot telling his supporters the buses are ready to take them back to the asylum but first: his theme song. "Crazy" begins playing and he dances happily, in turn, with his 4 daughters and his wife.

18 comments:

mezzrow said...

Likely because the writer is not old enough to remember Perot or this moment, and it doesn't help the narrative to bring it up so the editors didn't prompt the writer to insert it?

rhhardin said...

They're Coming To Take Me Away, for Perot.

rhhardin said...

Crazy is a good example of a word used to insert doctrines by way of double senses.

Karen of Texas said...

Ah, that "giant sucking sound" - crazy, crazy man... I worked for his company, briefly, because about a year after my start date he sold to GM. I almost ran him down coming around a blind corner at the company headquaters. Short man. The EDS culture was a get it done whirlwind.

bleh said...

Donald J. Perot

Bob Boyd said...

It is an amazing coincidence that a billionaire businessman split the Republican vote and put Bill in the White House and now another one will likely put Hillary there.

It makes me wonder if Trump was supposed to be another Perot, running 3rd party, but he surprised himself and everybody else. Now the Republicans are looking for a 3rd party candidate to divide their own and ensure Hillary's election.

Etienne said...

It's still a "giant sucking sound" out of the treasury.

I don't know where it goes, but the Marines announced yesterday they only have 82 F-18's that can fly.

The rest are broke with no spare parts. They have about 250 sitting around being cannibalized for parts.

Congress says it is not a priority.

Michael K said...

Perot had a message that, because of Bush, resonated. He might even have won but for his "crazy " episode in the summer about his daughter's wedding. I was very interested until then.

Trump has more issues and we are father down the line to collapse.

Anonymous said...

He got his people out while his country stood by and wouldn't pop that boil that still causes immeasurable pain and death around the world. Got our girls back yet? Could have started with small nukes on their ports, one a week until we had our people back. Want respect? Earn it. No wonder he inspired such loyalty. What position did GB1 hold at the time? Punch back 10 times as hard. A possible Squeaky Fromme grabs your man's sleeve in front of a retired policeman who sits in the Secret Service threat review every morning. She's lucky to still be alive. Just like someone from the Bronx, never give the adversary an opening or admit a weakness or appear frightened or cowed... by anyone.. So every attack is guaranteed false. Perot was a magician. How did he know where DFW would likely appear and make the wager by buying up all the bankrupt farmland in a 20 mile radius? Sustained EDS long past its shelf life. Crazy like a fox.

Phil 314 said...

Bill Clinton got into the White House of the giant sucking and his last years we're tainted because...

Karen of Texas said...

Indeed, aritai. The man inspired loyalty, and he recognized it in return when it was given.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Ross Perot gave us Clinton.
Will Trump give us Clinton?
Will the coincidence be missed?

Darrell said...

Perot's people in Iran were arrested by the Shah, not the radicals. Control Data was replacing the "Social Security" system IBM had put in place to deliver checks to almost all Iranian citizens--their "share" of the oil wealth. Lots of promises were made by Control Data and all the deadlines were blown. The Shah even increased the contract amount, but Control Data never brought in the talent to finish the job. They had begun to sneak people they did have on-site out of the country, and the Shah got wind of it. Hence the arrests. The failure of people to get their checks on time was a good part of the reason that the revolution succeeded. The rescue succeeded because the rebels didn't know who those prisoners were.

mccullough said...

Perot sucked away votes from both HW and Clinton about equally and got votes from people who would have sat out the election. His support was spread pretty evenly throughout the states.

Unknown said...

@mccullough. OK that's not the way I see it.

Robert said...

Perot was right about NAFTA.

Robert said...

America would be better off today had Perot won that election. I love all these Republicans on the Althouse site who act like they don't know how the Republicans have nearly destroyed America since that election. In fact, 16 years after Perot lost, America was in economic meltdown and engaged in BS wars costing us trillions of dollars and thousands of lives. I can barely even recognize America today. It is a disgrace in so many categories. My city is in shambles with whole neighborhoods resembling the Third World.

mikee said...

There is New York crazy and then there is Texas crazy. Just know that had Clayton Williams, founder of MCI, not verbally gaffed himself out of the office of Texas governor in the 1980s, you'd think Perot was a calm and dignified soul.