Why would a life-long GOP member like Buchanan suddenly leave his party to join an embroiled mess like the Reform Party? Pat himself claims that George W. Bush's inevitable nomination was the final straw. Others claim it's his Last Hurrah — a way to make his voice heard and influence felt right up to Election Day, so that even if he doesn't win he still can help get America "back on track," and secure his legacy as our country's "savior."

Still others (such as myself) feel that, while not discounting all of the above, he succumbed to the allure of that accursed $12.6 million in matching funds. And Pat wasn't the only carpetbagger to succumb to the lure of this money...

John Hagelin has run for President twice on the "Natural Law Party" ticket (he's their candidate in THIS year as well), but that didn't stop this organic food-loving, TM-practicing "President of The University of World Peace"(?!?) from also throwing his hat into the Reform Party ring. After all, like ALL Reformers he thinks the Federal government has been corrupted by "special interests" too — although in his case it's the FDA and their approval of IRRADIATED FOOD that gets his dander up, while it's the Department of Education and the NEA that gets Pat all in a tizzy.

And then there's always CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM for all these outraged third party folks to agree on. Hey, let's ALL run for President! TWELVE POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN "MATCHING FUNDS" FOR EVERYBODY!! WHOOPIE!!!