Perot Jeered By Christian Coalition Hecklers Focus On Abortion, Perot’s Role As Spoiler In ‘92
Reform Party presidential candidate Ross Perot was heckled and jeered at the Christian Coalition convention Friday because he supports abortion rights.
Midway through a speech in which Perot added references to religion and morality to his standard economic message, the heckling began. “Abortion,” a man shouted, as a few others joined in, waving signs that said “pro-life, pro-family.” It never really stopped after that. “What about abortion? Abortion!” men and women in the audience in the Washington Hilton Hotel ballroom yelled.
Perot never uttered the word “abortion” during his 30-minute speech to the group, which holds the issue as its highest concern.
The loudest applause from coalition members, about 4,000 of whom are attending their annual meeting here, came when Perot confronted the question of what role he might have played in aiding the election of President Clinton.
“In this audience I am sure that there are many people who honestly believe I elected Bill Clinton in 1992,” Perot said, drawing stomping and shouted “yeahs” from the crowd.
“That’s why I brought it up, to get that reaction,” Perot deadpanned. “You believe it because you have heard this again and again and again,” he added. The audience shouted “no.”
Perot then sought to explain that exit polls had shown he had equally drawn support away from Clinton and President George Bush, a point several in the audience who were interviewed afterwards said they didn’t accept.
“He was a spoiler,” said Earl Allen, a real estate developer from Minot, N.D., who wore a sticker that said “Impeach Clinton and her husband.”
Michael Hudson, vice president of the People for the American Way, a civil liberties group that monitors the religous right, said, “This is the first time I’ve ever known Ross Perot to reach out to the Christian political conservative movement at all.”
Hudson, who until recently lived in Perot’s home state of Texas, said Perot always “made no bones about the fact that he was not in agreement on choice, creationism, and other issues that they support.” It suggested to him, Hudson said, that Perot is in a desperate campaign.
Perot’s spokeswoman, Sharon Holman, countered that the Christian Coalition was not an unnatural constituency for Perot, despite their different views on abortion.
“He’s been talking about family values before the phrase was coined, personal responsibility and the importance that his family has had on his life. It’s a wonderful audience for him,” she said.
Holman said Perot was working on this speech almost up until the time he delivered it. Perot told his audience, “I have spent a lot of hours on this one because of my respect for people who have strong religious convictions.”