The post-debate reception for Ross Perot at the Frontenac Grand Hotel was a spur-of-the-moment event because of tight security within the Ross Perot/James B. Stockdale campaign. Perot's St. Louis campaign office essentially had only two days to organize the event, according to Nicki DiFranco, manager of the local campaign office.
"Because of security, they weren't allowed to tell us about the reception and many of the details until the very last minute," she said. "So we put 1,000 people together in 48 hours, and I just can't believe it came off as well as it did. I was astounded at last night's reception."
Perot's performance at the first debate of the 1992 presidential race helped lift the mood of the reception, an invitation-only event that was attended by his supporters. "We're so proud of him. But then we knew what to expect," DiFranco said.
The St. Louis campaign office also assembled the mid-afternoon Perot gathering at the former Famous-Barr site in Clayton, Mo. Several hundred Perot supporters waved signs and posters at all who passed the site.
DiFranco said the gathering at Washington University's Bowles Plaza was canceled because of insufficient student interest. Sandy McClure, the Missouri state coordinator for Perot '92, had been scheduled to speak at 1 p.m. about "Perot the Man."