Perot's prospects poor

WASHINGTON (AFP) - If Ross Perot jumps back into the presidential fray, he will be in third place, far behind the Democratic candidate, Bill Clinton, and President George Bush, according to two polls released on Saturday.

Mr Clinton, the Governor of Arkansas, has a solid 10 to 12-point lead over Mr Bush in a two-candidate race, according to Newsweek magazine and Time-CNN nationwide surveys. The Newsweek poll said Mr Perot would garner 9 per cent of the vote in a three-way race between the Texas billionaire, Mr Clinton and Mr Bush. The survey puts Mr Clinton at 46 per cent and Mr Bush at 37 per cent.

But a poll conducted for Time magazine and Cable News Network (CNN) indicated that even if Mr Perot did no campaigning, he could win 13 per cent of the vote. That percentage would increase to 17 if Mr Perot became an active candidate, while Mr Clinton would receive 43 per cent and Mr Bush 32 per cent of the vote.