Clifton, surprising as this may seem to some in America, where a mere 13 per cent of people have passports, some people take an interest in politics all over the world. Or some, like me, are selective (in my case UK, Irish, African and American politics in that order). And anyone who is not interested in who's in the White House and in who runs Congress, ought to be, if only on account of the disgusting rate at which America is chewing through the world's finite resources.

Apart from which, who wouldn't be fascinated by a system that could produce a president who works nine to five, takes two hours out of that for "private time" and another 90 minutes of it for "playing a little solitaire on the computer." (I'm quoting BUSH aides talking about Bush!).

And do those who believe the American system is best because Idi Amin, Pol Pot or Hitler would be worse, realise how hollow they sound? If your confidence ebbs away much further, Peter T, you'll have to try whistling. In the meantime you might ponder how a tiny population like Austria's can turn up a leader with demonstrably stronger mix of personality,intellect and ability than either Bush or Gore. But of course most Americans will never know who's chancellor in Austria, nor even know where Austria is.