SOME SAY PEROT WAS OVER HIS HEAD

Perhaps Ross Perot was in over his head when he switched from business to the volatile world of politics, said some merchants and shoppers at West Park Mall Thursday.

Word that Perot had ended his undeclared bid for the presidency spread quickly.

Wayne Smith of Jackson said he was not surprised that Perot dropped out of the campaign.

"I think his campaign had peaked too soon," said Smith. "He had a grassroots campaign, but once he got into the business of playing politics I don't think he had the where-with-all or experience to do it.

"Now I think it will be a traditional, two-party race," Smith said. "What has been lessened is the potential that the race will be decided in the Congress, where Democrats would clearly have made the decision.

"I have yet to pick a candidate; I'm not sure there is a candidate out there who excites me," said Smith.

Sam Wilson of East Cape Girardeau, Ill., said: "I think he did exactly the right thing. I don't think he could win, and on top of that I don't think he's the kind of guy who needs to be president. He's got to be a brilliant businessman, but I don't think you can be that straight-laced and run the U.S. There are too many different kinds of people.

"Naturally I think there will be some positive effects for Clinton, but I think it will be good for Bush too."

Wilson, a Bush supporter, said: "I don't think his (Perot's) campaign was all negative. He opened some eyes and got people thinking about a third party."

After hearing the price tag for Perot's venture into politics, Wilson responded, "He spent $10 million? Wow."

Lynda Morthland of Cape Girardeau said: "I didn't like Perot because I thought he would attempt to run the country like a business. Government doesn't run that way. I looked for him to drop out of the campaign in the next few weeks anyway."

Morthland said she supports the Democratic ticket of Bill Clinton and Albert Gore Jr.

But, she said, "Who knows what's going to happen in the next few weeks? The campaign is not over yet."

Mary Griffith of Cape Girardeau said: "When he first started out, I was really interested, but I've changed my mind since then. I think he'd be a little too hard-lined.

"I think he dropped out because he couldn't win. And besides, I think we have two good men, Clinton and Gore. They're young and are for family and I like them. They want change and more jobs for people."

Steve Moore of Cape Girardeau said: "I think it's good that he is out. He was into something he should not have been. He wasn't ready for this and he wouldn't have won anyway."

But, Moore said: "This will make the race a little closer. There are a lot more votes up for grabs now."

Greg Braun of Cape Girardeau said he was disappointed with the news. He said he planned to cast a protest vote for Perot. "It was kind of a lesser of two evils," he said. "I want change.

"I thought he had some good ideas, but when it came down to getting an answer he kept talking around the issues and saying, `We'll fix it.'

"He seemed to be a man of words, not of action. When the people demanded answers and he didn't come up with any, his popularity in the polls went down."

Rodney Knous, who lives in Perot's homestate of Texas, was visiting his mother in Cape Girardeau Thursday.

"He was just disrupting the campaign. He jumped in too quick; he wasn't known and he didn't have the experience he needed in politics.

"I don't think his leaving the campaign will make much of an impact. I don't think he had much of an impact."

Said Gerald Burton of Kennett: "I was willing to listen to what he had to say, but everyone else seemed to have a plan and he never really said anything. He had a lot of general ideas that sounded good, but no specifics.

"The campaign will be less volatile now, but I think it was more interesting when he was in it," Burton said. "I think this will be good for the Democrats."

Betty Hahs of Cape Girardeau said: "There were a lot of people for Perot. It will be interesting to see where they will turn. I think, with just the two candidates it will be a pretty exciting campaign. Perot would have caused a big division in votes.

"I didn't really know who I was going to vote for before. I'm going to have a hard time deciding who to vote for now, but I really like Gore."

Grace Strubinger of St. Louis, who was visiting her sister in Cape Girardeau, said, "I'm sorry he got out. I thought he was great."

If the election would have been held today, she said she would have voted for Perot. "He sounded like he would have been better than some of these crooks. I might have changed my mind, though."

She said she likes all the candidates and will have a tough time deciding who to vote for now.