4% of the popular vote was for 5 candidates other than Gore and Bush. CNN Results page

I think what the big hoopla was that he was close to winning enough of the popular vote to make either himself or the party eligible for federal campaign funding or something of that nature.

I don't know enough about him, but I think he could be an effective President just because of the fact that most members of Congress probably resent him for one reason or another. Some politicians don't care for the consumer rights advocate type...