Brown had previously ran for president, unsuccessfully, in 1976 and 1980, losing both Democratic nominations to Jimmy Carter.

In March 1992, the Democratic primaries narrowed to Brown and Bill Clinton, who ended up winning the nomination and the presidency.

He had previously ran for president, unsuccessfully, in 1976 and 1980, losing both Democratic nominations to Jimmy Carter.

Afterwards, "he drifted to Mexico to learn Spanish, to Japan to study Buddhism in a monastery, and to India to work with Mother Teresa.

He specifically advocated for campaign finance reform, congressional term limits, universal health care,[4] gun control, a flat income tax, environmentalism, cuts to military spending and property taxes, and he opposed nuclear power and free trade with Mexico.

[1][2][5][6] His positions on gun control, healthcare, the flat tax, and free trade in 1992 were different from previous years; The New York Times wrote:[5] Many political figures shift their stands over the years, of course, sometimes out of expediency, sometimes out of a genuine change in circumstances and convictions, sometimes because the responsibilities of governing overtake the promises of campaigning.

[1] The 53-year-old Mr. Brown, who has showcased his insurgent, anti-establishment campaign at huge college rallies and rock-and-roll fund-raising events, has positioned himself as the youth candidate.

Brown portrayed himself as an outsider candidate, running an ad showing interviews with his campaign staff who said statements such as: "I think they're all the same, Republicans and Democrats.

[2] This was the opposite of his previous position, saying limits on campaign donations are "a violation of free speech".

[6][8] After the first Democratic presidential debate, Brown's support plummeted, and he had very low results in the New Hampshire primary.

Hillary Clinton responded to the accusation the next day by saying: "I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do is fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life."

[12][13][14] In April 1992, ABC News reported allegations from a California police officer, James C. Pashley, that Brown had held parties during his governorship where cocaine and marijuana were available.

Brown responded by making a joke about the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal during a rally: "Who ever said he (Clinton) told the truth?”.