Inside Washington

The White House is scrambling to replace Democratic National Committee chairman David Wilhelm with a more effective politician. The postelection contenders and their handicaps: Gerald Baliles -- the former Virginia Governor is a Clinton favorite but may not be flashy enough for TV; Don Fowler -- the savvy South Carolina committeeman appears unthreatening to turf-conscious White House officials; Mike Synar -- the defeated Oklahoma Congressman is aggressive, but can he raise money?; Kathleen Brown -- a proven fund raiser, but California Democrats don't want to reward her for losing their shot at the statehouse; Mack McLarty -- Clinton's kindergarten chum was too nice for the White House. Would the cutthroat D.N.C. be a better fit?