Perot challenges Clinton to debate

In an on-campus speech, PerotIn an on-campus speech, Perotsaid he hoped to use airtimeIn an on-campus speech, Perotsaid he hoped to use airtimeMonday to confront the president.In an on-campus speech, Perotsaid he hoped to use airtimeMonday to confront the president.But Clinton has declined the offer. Ross Perot launched a blistering attack on President Clinton's ethics and character during a speech last night at Irvine Auditorium, challenging the president to a nationally televised debate Monday night. "I purchased an hour of airtime on ABC and I offer it to the president," the Reform Party candidate for president said, adding that he hoped to use the hour for "a candid discussion." "I will ask the president to look the American people squarely in the eye? and answer the criminal and ethical charges pending against him, his wife and his associates," Perot added. But officials from the Clinton campaign said the president will not take up Perot's offer. "The president has a very busy schedule between now and election day," a statement said. "Meeting with Mr. Perot is not on his schedule." In an apparent reference to Clinton's alleged marital infidelities, Perot asked the crowd of 2,500 whether Clinton was "the type of man you'd feel comfortable having your daughter work for." Much of the evening's excitement took place after the speech, however, when heated shouting matches broke out between supporters of the two candidates. The argument turned ugly when a female Perot supporter brought an Indian-American Penn student to tears by asking if she "was even from this country." The woman had accused the student, College and Wharton sophomore Anjali Kumar, of supporting a president who was "selling out our futures." During his hour-long address, Perot blasted Clinton for having "an arrogance of power" since he took office, and accused the president of leading the country toward a "second Watergate." "Is there no sense of outrage left in this country, no matter what the president does?" Perot asked. Perot focused much of his speech on what he termed Clinton's "Asian Connection" -- allegations the president had accepted illegal campaign donations from wealthy Asian businessmen. Many students said they found Perot's insistence that "people named Huang" shouldn't be doing fund-raising -- a reference to former Democratic fund raiser John Huang -- to be racist. Huang recently resigned over allegations he had sponsored an illegal fund-raiser, attended by Vice President Al Gore, at a California Buddhist temple. Additionally, students said they were offended by the candidate's description of fund raisers like former Clinton aide Mark Middleton, as having "names you could relate to." College freshman Bela Verma said she found Perot's speech "racist towards Asians." Engineering freshman Priya Chadha described the candidate as "biased." Perot also went after Clinton's economic record, terming the North American Free Trade Agreement a "disgrace" and challenging the president's claim that he had created 10 million new jobs since coming to office. "Most of those jobs are minimum-wage ones," Perot insisted. "Big government hasn't worked for most people." Perot also attacked the two major parties for their handling of Social Security and the budget deficit. "Both the Democrats and Republicans say they aren't responsible for these problems, that they didn't do it," he said. "But I say, 'There's no one else around. You both did it.' " While students said they were impressed by Perot's business-like manner and knowledge, most agreed the candidate had not received their votes. "Having him speak didn't change my mind as to who to vote for," College sophomore Ken Massey said. "Perot seemed to be under the impression that he was running for dictator, not president." Long-time Perot supporter Bill McDevitz admitted that he was "worried" by polls showing Perot trailing Clinton by almost 50 percentage points. "Ross is the best we have in this country," he said. But Ceil Sybrandy -- who voted for the candidate during his failed 1992 campaign -- said the polls were "meaningless."