COSMIC JUXTAPOSITION. I'm flipping back and forth between C-SPAN 1 and 2. On 1, the Republicans are showing yet another treacly tribute film to the late Ronald Reagan. On 2, Walter Mondale is giving his acceptance speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention.

Just as Reagan's hearse was heading down the highway, Mondale was promising to end Reagan's "illegal war" in Nicaragua. The Democrats went nuts. "We want Fritz! We want Fritz!"

Mondale was - is - a good and decent man. He and George McGovern may be the two finest people that either party has nominated for president in my lifetime. They would have changed this country in a far more positive way than any Republican president since - oh, I don't know - Theodore Roosevelt.

Here comes Kerry Healey. Good Lord, she's dumping on Michael Dukakis. And she sounds like a second-rate game-show host!