Many of the statistical analyses of whether or not Ross Perot really was responsible for George H.W. Bush’s loss of the presidency ignore the timing of Perot’s moves into, out of, and back into the race.

When Perot, who died Tuesday at age 89, first entered the race, Bush was well ahead of Bill Clinton in the polls. Perot entered, rhetorical guns blazing at Bush, tearing down the incumbent so Clinton didn’t need to muddy himself. A lot of “soft” Bush voters had trouble imagining themselves voting for the draft-dodging, promiscuous, overly “hip” Clinton, but Perot provided a way station for people to drop off Bush without going all the way to Slick Willie’s camp. Perot pulled mostly from Bush then, and only a little from Clinton, but did so well at it that Perot actually shot to the top of the polls.