WHENEVER YOU TIRE OF U.S. POLITICS, CONSIDER THE PLIGHT OF LECH WALESA

Say what you will about the American process of selecting a president, but in comparison to every other system, it's still the best. Consider Lech Walesa, Nobel Peace Prize winner, former president of Poland and former dockworker and labor organizer. Walesa wants to make another run for the presidency in his native country.

But Poland is still sensitive about having anyone as president who might have been a Communist collaborator until the Soviets were vanquished in 1989.

There were rumors that Walesa had conspired with the Communists. But rumors were a powerful -- and often deadly -- weapon in those days. Walesa survived, served his country well and garnered the admiration of the world. Fortunately, Walesa also now has survived a special screening court, which has cleared him of any Communist ties.

All this makes the Bush-Gore contest look a little tame.