Remember H. Ross Perot? H. Russell Potts may end up sharing more than his initials with this volatile billionaire spoiler from the 1992 presidential election. What sunk Perot's star? I think it was the fact that he started talking publicly about his UFO sightings and the FBI agents that wanted to crash his daughter's wedding, causing the media that created him to turn on him with just as much vigor.
Norman over at One Man's Trash, usually an acolyte for the Virginia Club for Growth, began a very interesting debate yesterday about the legitimacy of Russ Potts. He began it all with this excellent assessment that claims that the media is trying to push Potts into legitimacy. That sparked a thoughtful debate among Norman, Barnie Day, and Will Vehrs. I don't have much to add, except that I want what Barnie is smoking if he thinks Russ Potts has a shot at winning in November. The real issue with Potts is which candidate's chances he will spoil and by how much.
Will Kaine and Kilgore eventually wrest control of this election from the pro-Potts media? Maybe they should send in a dirty tricks team to etch some crop circles in Potts' backyard. Better yet, they should just wait for Potts to say something "ill advised" on his own. Potts, like Perot, is a shoot-from-the-hip type so it shouldn't take too long. I think the Potts star will begin to fade by November, barring interference from Jerry Kilgore.
