Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) praised former presidential candidate Ross Perot as a “one-of-a-kind American” on Tuesday evening.
“Ross Perot was a champion for veterans’ rights and ahead of his time on disastrous trade policies,” Sanders tweeted alongside a picture of a sword gifted to Sanders from Perot.
“During his campaign, he explained, in depth, how he would address our national problems and spurred serious discussion,” he added. “Ross Perot was a one-of-a-kind American. He will be missed.”
The plaque accompanying the sword reads in part:
Presented to Congressman Bernard Sanders, with deep appreciation for your many years of extraordinary leadership to provide proper medical treatment to our military forces who were wounded by chemical weapons in Desert Storm.
Sanders briefly talked about the “Excalibur” hanging in his office in an 2015 interview with the New York Times:
“That is from Ross Perot,” Mr. Sanders said. “He said: ‘When media gives you a problem, take it out! Threaten them!’ ” (It was actually a gift for his work on the veterans bill.)
Perot passed away in his Dallas home Tuesday following a battle with leukemia. He is most well-known for making a significant dent in the 1992 presidential election against George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, garnering 19 percent of the vote. He also ran for president in 1996.
“In business and in life, Ross was a man of integrity and action,” family spokesman James Fuller said in a statement.
“A true American patriot and a man of rare vision, principle and deep compassion, he touched the lives of countless people through his unwavering support of the military and veterans and through his charitable endeavors,” he continued.