James Stockdale, 81, Ran With Perot
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Retired Vice Admiral James Stockdale, a former prisoner of war and Ross Perot’s running mate in 1992, died yesterday, the Navy announced. He was 81.
The Navy did not provide a cause of death but said he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. He died at his home in Coronado, Calif.
In the 1992 presidential election, Stockdale became the vice presidential running mate of Mr. Perot, the independent candidate. He was initially a stand-in on the ticket but later became the candidate. Stockdale gave a stumbling performance in the nationally televised vice-presidential debate against Dan Quayle and Al Gore and later said he didn’t feel comfortable in the public eye. When Mr. Perot ran again in 1996 as the candidate of his Reform Party, Stockdale had rejoined the Republican Party.
During the Vietnam War, he was a Navy fighter pilot based on the USS Oriskany and flew 201 missions before he was shot down September 9, 1965.
