Ross Perot appeared

Ross Perot appeared on the February 20 edition of Larry King Live on CNN, his fourth appearance on the show since 1991.[13] After a lively interview concerning political issues, King directly asked Perot if there was "any scenario in which [he] would run for president."[14] Perot firmly stated that he did not want to run, but spontaneously affirmed that he would begin a campaign if "ordinary people" signed petitions and helped him achieve ballot access in all 50 states.[15] He set up a phone bank at his office on March 12, staffed with volunteers to inform interested voters and supporters on how they could assist Perot's potential campaign.[16] Supporters viewed the candidate as an "action man ... who can get things done ... [and who] takes care of his people".[17] They were angry at President Bush for reneging on his promise to not raise taxes.[17] The New York Times speculated that Perot's "iconoclastic, take-no-prisoners persona and anti-politics politics"[18] would appeal to the "angry frustrated electorate".[18] But Republican consultant Karl Rove characterized Perot as an "untested wild man".[18] He rejected any financial donations for more than $5,[19] and stated that he would personally fund a potential campaign.[20] Perot spent $400,000 of his own money in the first month,[21] however, he largely spread this message via television, capped by a March 18 National Press Club speech, which aired on C-SPAN


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Ivorian rival Ouattara tells Gbagbo to leave
Continue reading the main story
Rival Presidents


Laurent Gbagbo (left)

Age: 65
Southerner, Christian
Former history teacher, president since 2000
Declared president by Constitutional Council
Backed by security forces
Alassane Ouattara (right)

Age: 68
Northerner, Muslim
Economist and former prime minister
Declared winner by Election Commission
Backed by former rebels, UN, African leaders and the West
The man widely recognised as winner of Ivory Coast's disputed presidential poll has said incumbent Laurent Gbagbo must concede power to allow for talks.

A spokesman for Alassane Ouattara said he did not oppose dialogue but no talks could take place until he was recognised as president by everyone.

The African Union has suspended Ivory Coast while Mr Gbagbo stays in office.

The election was intended to reunite the world's largest cocoa producer after a civil war in 2002.

Ivory Coast's electoral commission has declared that Mr Ouattara won the 28 November run-off election by 54.1% to 45.9%.

But the political stalemate shows no sign of ending soon, the BBC's John James reports.

Mr Ouattara has appointed a new prime minister, ex-rebel Guillaume Soro, and has said he will start work in his official office next week.

But the building is still under the control of Mr Gbagbo.

Pay day factor
With both Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara having taken oaths of office and appointed governments, Mr Ouattara's administration is currently under UN protection at a hotel in the city of Abidjan.


UN soldiers continue to guard Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan
Mr Gbagbo has the support of several leading generals and control of state television.

On Thursday, he said he was open to negotiation but he refused offers to go into exile and seems to want some kind of power-sharing deal, an option the opposition rejects outright, our correspondent says.

The crisis has hit the Ivorian economy hard and economics may eventually tip the balance in Mr Ouattara's favour, if the government struggles to pay workers salaries, our correspondent says.

That will especially be the case if the West African central bank hands over control of the Ivorian accounts to Mr Ouattara - something he has asked for.

Sanctions against members of Mr Gbagbo's regime are also being threatened in the coming days by the US and Europe, which would further prove to undecided members of the army just how isolated Mr Gbagbo is on the world stage, our correspondent adds.