The decision to kill the Center leaves the RNC with “no policy office,” at least for the foreseeable future, according to the GOP official with direct knowledge of the decision. I tried to ask the RNC to respond to this claim, but RNC spokesperson Jon Thompson refused to answer repeated request for comment.

The Center’s original purpose was founded on the premise that the GOP had grown bereft of real ideas, was failing to “provide solutions to the kitchen table concerns” of Americans, and had grown addicted to “falling back on ideology alone,” according to an RNC memo last December announcing the Center’s creation.

Honestly, this seems like something the RNC can get away with killing. Its invention by a chairman trying to save its job was always suspicious, and after he won the chairmanship Michael Steele (who’d been attacked for his occasional cozying-up to moderates) said he didn’t want to get into ideological disputes, as these would be sorted out by elected Republicans. That’s the right policy. But coming in the midst of an all-out GOP effort to block bills because “government has never created a job,” well …

The worry here is that this sets up a race between Michael Steele and Katon Dawson. Jeff Frederick, the chair of the Virginia GOP, murmured that most of Duncan’s support will go to Dawson. Depending on they break that could put Dawson ahead for the fourth round.

From a second nominating speech: “He knows this committee better than anyone I’ve ever worked with. Mike Duncan’s only agenda is serving his committee, serving his candidates.”

Katon Dawson, the South Carolina Republican chairman who’s been battered by stories about his membership in a whites-only country club, is next. Glen McCall, a black committee member from the state, gets up for a character witness speech. “Katon’s been a mentor to me,” McCall says. “We’re not like the Democrats. We’re about experience and accomplishments.”

In key areas of vending and contracting at the RNC, many documents were signed before Mike Duncan could get a team in place. It may not be well known, but it is a fact that Duncan, by and large, had to live with decisions made before he got there. In fact, there is only one area where Duncan could fully stretch his legs as Chairman of the Party unhindered by either a de facto party head in the White House and a Presidential campaign calling the shots — fundraising. In that area, Duncan thrived.

This has the ring of truth. We forget this, but circa May and June Duncan was viewed as a low-key whiz kid, a mega-fundraiser who had solved the Florida and Michigan primary crises (which roiled the Democrats for months) with a Solomoniac solution: Give each rogue state half of its delegates.

I’ve heard a number of DC Republicans and McCain campaign vets credit Duncan’s fundraising for keeping them in the game with President-elect Barack Obama. They stress, though, that the RNC chairman isn’t ever going to become the face of the opposition.

Still it’s interesting to see this (which follows from this) at RedState. It’s becoming the grassroots conservative site that makes no real demands from the Republicans, as long as they win.

For the last eight years, President Bush has led our country with firm determination and a steady hand in the face of numerous challenges and crises. He restored honor and integrity to the White House and protected America from another terrorist attack.

As President and Mrs. Bush prepare to leave Washington in a few weeks to return to Texas, I know I speak for Republicans and grassroots leaders across America when I say we are all grateful for their tremendous service to our country. To show our appreciation for our Commander-in-Chief, the RNC is asking every Republican to sign an electronic card that will be presented to President Bush before he leaves office. It is the least each of us can do to show our gratitude to the leader of our country and our Party.

“Gratitude” for what he’s done for Republicans? Maybe he should have sent this to the MoveOn.org list.

Here’s his press release in full:

“Minnesota law reads that an election contest – not Harry Reid – should decide the winner of a contested election. The efforts of Al Franken, Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer to steal this election and seat Al Franken despite not having an election certificate are unprecedented.

“When elections are being decided by double-counted votes and double standards in the treatment of absentee ballots, there must be a remedy to get an accurate and valid vote total – that remedy is an election contest. That is the law of Minnesota enacted by the people of Minnesota. The people of Minnesota deserve to see their laws followed.

“I am confident that if the law is followed, Norm Coleman will be taking his rightful seat in the U.S. Senate.”

Unfortunately for the RNC, no one outside of the GOP appears to agree.