I am struck by the last line in Chris Cillizza’s column over at WaPo detailing the candidates for RNC Chair. Here it is, describing potential candidate Jim Greer, of Florida:

His disadvantage: he’s a moderate in a vote dominated by conservatives.

I love this as a signal that the GOP is going full steam ahead in dragging their party further right of center. Michael Steele therefore gets kudos from the RNC for his “Drill, Baby Drill” speech, and if he could just plausibly show that he’s a racist as well, then he just might take this position. Katon Dawson will get credit for belonging to a White’s Only Club. But can Dawson appeal to the extremist wing of the party? Here’s a bit from Cillizza about Dawson, though Cillizza has nothing on that “Whites Only” club membership:

Dawson sent out a DVD outlining his biography, with a strong suggestion that he is the candidate closest to the principles of former President Ronald Reagan; “Ronald Reagan’s inspiring vision lives on today in Katon Dawson’s heart and soul,” says the narrator of the bio piece.

Dawson has picked up the support of Tucker Eskew, a longtime Republican strategist who, most recently, managed the vice presidential candidacy of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin this fall.

“He’s probably the truest embodiment of grassroots politics I’ve ever known,” said Eskew of Dawson. “His people skills are second to none, his communications skills are superb, totally eager to fundraise, and he’s been tested in other ways that prepare him for the job.”

There’s the daily double for the whack job extremists, a connection to both Reagan and Palin. Dawson is my candidate.

Chip Saltzman and his Huckabee connection and Saul Anuzis and his Romney connection can’t hold a candle to the Dawson pairing of Reagan and Palin. As far as Democrats are concerned, what we need in that position is the most extreme Republican they can find, and that appears to be Dawson.