DID YOU MISS REFORM CONVENTIONS -- BOTH OF 'EM?

The increasingly bizarre spectacle that is the Reform Party unfolded earlier this month in California. The weekend before the Democratic National Convention convened in Los Angeles, Reform delegates met down the road in Long Beach to nominate their candidate -- or candidates.

Because of the rift, or schism, that swiftly developed at the Reform Party's convention, Reform delegates who are unhappy with the emergence in their ranks of ex-Republican Patrick J. Buchanan split off and held their own convention. This rump gathering appears to have the backing of the party's founder, H. Ross Perot, and most of its delegates are loyal to him rather than Buchanan. The dissidents nominated a nuclear physicist, Dr. John Haeglin, for president. Haeglin said to the roaring delegates, "I accept with humility and with pride the mantle of H. Ross Perot." He persuaded delegates to select a Silicon Valley entrepreneur as his running mate. Haeglin's nomination came minutes after a tally of primary votes showed Buchanan had beaten him by nearly 2-1.

Meanwhile, what many would call the main show nominated Buchanan for president and his choice, Ezola Foster, for vice president. Foster is a retired African-American teacher and a former member of the far-right John Birch Society.

Amidst all the confusion, Buchanan dismissed the idea that the shouting matches and the fierce nomination dispute between his supporters and those loyal to Perot would tear apart the young third party. "Look, people forget these things in a week," Buchanan said.

Buchanan may be more correct than he thinks. American voters may have forgotten about the Reform Party even before its delegates met and split in two. The truth is that the whole enterprise is about money. Oh, by the way, it's your money they're fighting over: $12.6 million in federal matching funds to which the nominee who wins this wrestling match is entitled.

For now, the dispute will go to the Federal Election Commission and probably on to the courts. By the time it gets sorted out, even more Americans will have tuned out. As we said, a bizarre spectacle.