Abstract
The Perot phenomenon in the presidential campaign of 1992 was generated by a unique confluence of events. The decline of the political parties, the rise of candidate-centered campaigns, and the wavering economy all contributed to an environment favorable to a third-party candidacy like Perot's. This thesis explores Perot's campaign rhetoric chronologically throughout 1992's election season. Perot at once projected himself as "outside the beltway" by violating campaign rituals and as a candidate who understood the desires of the American electorate by utilizing the contemporary political version of the jeremiad to invoke the American dream. Through an examination of these elements, this thesis considers the rhetorical requirements that faced Perot as he competed in the election. It concludes that Perot's use of the jeremiad helped to compensate for his resection of the traditional political system so that he would appear as a justifiable selection for the office of President.
Friesen, Clark Wesley (1993). The reluctant messiah: H. Ross Perot's rhetoric in the 1992 presidential campaign. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1993 -THESIS -F912.