BACKERS STUNNED: PEROT OFFICE HERE SWAMPED WITH CALLS

Robin Johns stopped by the headquarters of Ross Perot early Thursday to get some information about the candidate for a class at Southeast Missouri State University. Johns was preparing for a debate next week and planned to argue why Perot would be a good president.

But before she left with her information, Perot had left thousands of volunteers across the country stunned by announcing he had decided not to continue his quest for the presidency.

Johns watched Perot's televised press conference at the campaign office along with Gil Degenhardt, the 8th Congressional District coordinator for Perot, and Lucy Masters, a volunteer who was staffing the office.

Despite the announcement, Johns said she believes Perot would be the best president and she would go ahead and prepare her case for the Texas billionaire.

Degenhardt and Masters remained in the Cape Girardeau office to field dozens of phone calls and visits from Perot supporters, many of whom were simply seeking friendly people to share their shock and sorrow with.

"I'm very sad; I feel like we've lost a good man," said Masters, who was active in her first political campaign. "I wonder what we will do now."

Miki Gudermuth, an early volunteer in the Perot effort, returned a list of news media in the 8th District to Degenhardt and said he might need it for something else.

"Where am I going to put my protest vote?" asked Gudermuth.

Degenhardt replied: "I think the protest vote will be the stay-at-home vote."

Sitting at a makeshift desk in the back of the headquarters, situated in a small row of retail stores at 1400 N. Kingshighway, Degenhardt admitted surprise. But, for someone who has been in politics since 1952, including several unsuccessful personal races as a Republican candidate, he took it in stride.

"I misjudged this guy because I thought he was on a mission," said Degenhardt. "I thought he was more tenacious than this. I'm surprised he took this route."

Behind Degenhardt was a Missouri map with the counties of the 8th District outlined, a shelf with folders of newspaper and magazine clippings, a large pile of bumper stickers, and a stack of petitions that were in addition to the 14,000-plus signatures already gathered and stored away for a planned delivery to the secretary of state's office this weekend.

Near the front door was a large map of the United States where states were identified that had already put Perot on the ballot; clippings of articles on Perot were on display; and near an American flag hung a black POW-MIA flag that had become a symbol of one of Perot's causes.

"There's a lot of disappointment and disillusionment here," Degenhardt told a reporter. "My response: So what? It's just another day in politics."

Don McAnally, another longtime volunteer who stopped by, expressed fear that the departure of Perot means the system cannot ever be fixed.

"I'm very disappointed. I don't know whether this was a hoax or the world's best selling job," said McAnally. "I think the system's still broken. I don't think it will ever get fixed. The politicians have won again."

Degenhardt refused to use the word betrayed to express his feelings; however, Gudermuth said she felt betrayed.

"Unfortunately, I do," said Gudermuth. "I believed what he said. I believe he was as strong as he appeared to be. Why did he give up now?

"He really fired me up to express my dissatisfaction. I think the other parties are taking notice."

But Gudermuth said, "I think he's a good man."

Pat Aldredge said he had been on the phone with an assistant to Perot's top aide in Dallas a few minutes before the press conference to advise him of the progress that had been made in gathering signatures in Missouri.

Aldredge said the aide indicated he did not have time to talk and would get back with him later.

But a short time after Perot announced he was bowing out, Aldredge was back on the phone trying to reach state chairman Sandy McClure to urge her to join in urging all states to follow through with their petition efforts and not let Perot back out.

McClure told The Associated Press petitions to put Perot's name on the ballot will be delivered to the secretary of state's office on Monday, as planned before his announcement in Dallas.

Aldredge refused to acknowledge Perot was finished. He was urging local supporters at the headquarters to keep the fight alive.

"We have him on a verbal contract," said Aldredge. "He said if we drafted him, he would serve. We'll hold him to it."

Not every Perot supporter was as willing to forgive.

Don Michel of Anna, Ill., coordinator of 36 counties in Southern Illinois, scoffed at suggestions the Perot campaign might be revived. "I don't see any point in getting a man on the ballot who said he is not going to run," said Michel.

"Frankly, if he turned around and changed his mind I would not support him. He broke his word - that's what it amounts too."

Michel said the reasons Perot gave are "very shallow and incredible."

Said Michel: "We had people who gave up second jobs to work in the campaign; many people worked harder than I did. I feel like he betrayed the trust of these millions of volunteers. Maybe some of the things we have been hearing about him are true."

Michel said he had no idea Perot was going to drop out and he was looking forward to seeing how he would handle the first crisis of his campaign with the resignation of co-campaign manager Ed Rollins.

"In my opinion he flunked. I guess it's just as well we found it out now," said Michel.

He said many volunteers abandoned positions in the Democratic and Republican parties and went out on a limb for Perot because they believed in him.

"He's left a lot of people out on a limb. He led them down a path and abandoned them and didn't even say he was sorry," said Michel.

With Perot in the race, Michel said he anticipated an increase in political participation this year. Now, Michel said, he fears too many Perot supporters will be turned off for good by his abrupt departure.

"I think we have a danger of people becoming very cynical about our system now, and that is something we don't need," said Michel. "I feel there will be a trend toward people saying, What is the use in trying to do anything? That's what I think is so bad."

Michel had planned a meeting of county coordinators Sunday to plan a caravan to Springfield on Aug. 3 to turn in petitions getting Perot on the Illinois ballot. He canceled the meeting Thursday.

Degenhardt had organized a bus trip for Saturday to Jefferson City to deliver petitions. He figured the bus trip was off, but was hopeful the petitions could still be filed.

Perot organizers believe as many as 140,000 signatures have been gathered, nearly seven times more than necessary to place his name on the ballot.

Degenhardt remained philosophical about the situation.

Speaking of Perot's departure, Degenhardt said: "It won't make a bit of difference. We've still got to confront the same stuff. The American people have lost an opportunity to confront reality."

Degenhardt said he was drawn to the Perot campaign because the major parties are still offering "the same soft soap and platitudes."

To really turn the country around and bring the deficit under control, Degenhardt said he believes the people have to accept the fact that sacrifices are going to have to be made.

Perot may be gone, but the need for Americans to face reality is still an urgent cause, said Degenhardt.