Virtual-Reality

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HE DID NOT CAMPAIGN, NOR WAS HE EVEN ON THE ballots. But thanks to voters in the Oregon and Washington primaries, Ross Perot pulled off another neat political trick that keeps him marching toward the White House without moving from his chair. In Oregon, exit polls showed that 13% of the Democrats and 15% of the Republicans took the extra trouble to write in his name. In Washington, where write-ins do not have to be certified until a week after the election, officials in tiny San Juan County were quickly able to come up with a tally that showed Perot beating both Bush and Clinton. Even more impressive than his write-in scores was Perot's strength in a hypothetical matchup for the November election. Exit polls in Oregon indicated he would get more Democratic votes in the fall than Clinton -- 45% to 42% -- and 41% of the Republicans' too.

Perot meanwhile took another step toward formally entering the race by releasing a 123-page financial-disclosure statement. It revealed that he has invested his assets very lightly in Wall Street but heavily in government bonds. No wonder he wants to be head of state. He practically owns it. (See related story on page 34.)