NEW YORK--While pundits have been calling Bill Clinton's triumphant acceptance speech last night a pinnacle of his political career, events beyond his control may be the real determinents of Clinton's future.

Nothing illustrated this more than billionaire Ross Perot's surprise departurefrom the race yesterday, which turned theunconventional three-man race into a traditionalhead-to-head battle.

Some say the exit of Perot, who has fought avicious battle of words with the Bush campaign inrecent weeks, can only help the incumbent.

Harvard Professor of Government Morris P.Fiorina said the Clinton campaign strategy was agamble based on a strong Perot showing.

"The great bulk of the academic analysts wouldsay that in a two-person race, Bush is a heavyfavorite," Fiorina said.

But others, including Democratic Party ChairRonald H. Brown, say that the people who supportPerot are not the type to go back to Bush, andthat Clinton will benefit.

"The American people want change," Brown saidyesterday. "They want change desperately. There isonly one candidate for change in this field. BillClinton is the epitome of change."

Party Not Unprepared

Brown said that while the switch to atwo-person race certainly "changes the dynamic" ofthe campaign, it does not leave the partycompletely unprepared.

"We prepared for three-and-a-half years for atwo-person race, and that's what we're back to,"he said.

And while Perot's announcement may have stolensome of the Democrats' thunder, last night'sacceptance speech gave Clinton a uniqueopportunity to pull Perot supporters into theDemocratic camp, according to Associate Professorof Government Mark A. Peterson.

"In fact, this may be the most important momenthe will have in the campaign," Peterson said.

Clinton, in fact, made a last-minute change tohis speech, seizing on Perot's description of a"revitalized" Democratic party which allowed theTexan to leave the race in good conscience.

"We are, as Democrats, in the words that RossPerot himself spoke today, a revitalizedDemocratic party," Clinton said. "I am well awarethat all those people who rallied to his causewanted to be in an army of patriots for change.

"I say to them tonight, 'Join us and togetherwe will revitalize America."

Both parties scrambled to pick up Perot'ssupporters yesterday, saying good things about theman they had assailed only days before. Both Bushand Clinton said they had learned an importantmessage from the groundswell of support for Perot.