THE TEXAN billionaire Mr Ross Perot last night announced that his vice Presidential nominee on the Reform party ticket would be an obscure economist, Mr Pat Choate.
"My running mate has the background, the experience and the qualifications", Mr Perot told the Detroit Economic Club yesterday. "Of course, he may not fit modern politics, where people get selected and promoted on the basis of their acting ability and their experience".
Mr Choate hardly lives up to Mr Perot's promise of a "world class figure". But, at only 5 per cent in the opinion polls, Mr Perot is in no position to be choosey. Indeed, Mr Choate is so obscure that his selection could boost the Republican campaign to exclude Mr Perot from the Presidential TV debates on the grounds that his campaign is less than credible.
The gasp of amused disbelief which went up from the Washington political pundits at Pat Choate's name may may well confirm Mr Perot in his shrill view that the political establishment is conspiring to downgrade his campaign.
"War has rules. Mud wrestling has rules. Politics has no rules. if you question that, watch television," Mr Perot snapped yesterday. "Politics is not conducted on an ethical basis. They are negative, bitter, mean spirited and destructive."