Mr. Dawson: Worked for Republican tactician Lee Atwater at age 14 and is perceived as an Atwater-Haley Barbour combo, ambitious, passionate, tireless. Downside: Before his death, Mr. Atwater apologized for his ruthless campaigning.
Mr. Duncan: Nice. Downside: Bush appointee.
Mr. Saltsman: Young (40), good communicator. Downside: Distributed that CD with the "Barack the Magic Negro" song.
Mr. Steele: African-American, celebrity, accomplished, mother was daughter of sharecropper (he brought it up). Downside: No guns and may harbor liberal thoughts.
All things considered, not a bad slate, but the devil is in the backroom where deals are made. As one longtime observer put it to me, this is the equivalent of electing a pope. The College of Cardinals always elects one of its own. Thus, the serious players are RNC members Duncan, Dawson and Anuzis.
Mr. Duncan's been-there, done-that status would seem to doom him, no matter how many times he holds up his 10-point plan, which could leave Mr. Anuzis and Mr. Dawson to face off in a North-South contest.
Mr. Anuzis worked his way through school while studying Newt Gingrich. Of Lithuanian descent, he would be the first first-generation American to serve as RNC chairman. Mr. Dawson runs a family-owned auto parts business. And though a social conservative, his primary focus is on free markets.
Perhaps it's time to resurrect the duel. Mr. Steele can call the shot.
Kathleen Parker's syndicated column appears regularly in The Baltimore Sun. Her e-mail is kparker@kparker.com.
