*Detailing the Islamist ties of Grover Norquist = accusing President Bush of treason? No sir, and stop being disingenuous about it. Our mystery correspondent is detailing precisely the same sort of "Islamist ties" with George W. Bush that he been detailing with Mr. Norquist. The only difference is that, when I call him on it, he lies about it. And then he sends you over to lie about it some more.
Let's stop lying about what this guy is doing, OK? Here is a quote from his note, not mine:
Who is this guy? He's an old Bush family friend. Not a Norquist family friend, a Bush family friend. A man who was on the board, not of Grover Norquist's oil company, because Grover Norquist never had an oil company. It was George W. Bush's oil company. Let me repeat that so even you can't screw this up: We are here detailing the terrorist connections of one George W. Bush, not to be confused with Mr. Grover Norquist, who never had an oil company, and whose name is not "Bush," as in "old Bush family friend. Let's the crap here, OK? This guy is a fruitcake of some kind who doesn't know what hell he's talking about himself. Or he claims that sentences that refer to someone named "Bush" are about Norquist, or Rove, or Santa Claus. Well, who are you going to believe, him or your own lying eyes? If he has a case against Bush, let's hear it. He won't talk about that, because everybody would know he's a nut. Hello? He is a nut. He's a veritable fountain of little tiny details and absolutely no context to put them in except his own personal hatred of Grover Norquist. He's like the Rainman of terrorism. He can tell you how many matches were left on the table after some meeting three years ago, but he can't tell you that he just linked Bush with terrorists five seconds after doing it. Either that or he doesn't have the guts to come right out and say it. And I don't blame him, because if he did, people would laugh him off the stage.
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"In short, Grover Norquist has been of enormous help to us in connecting us with other people and organizations that share our goals." -- Nick Danger
I have to wonder if this snip above is indicative of all your other posts on this issue. It has been made clear that the FRN is invited and does attend the Wed. meetings, ALONG WITH 120+ OTHER PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON DC.
Here are Nick's exact statements on this issue:
Allow me to answer that. Grover Norquist is one of several people who informally advises FRN on a number of issues. By 'informally' I mean that none of these people has any authority over anything we do; they just give us ideas or advice when we ask for it.
As you may know, Norquist's office is host every Wednesday to a meeting that is attended by representives from practically every conservative organization on the planet. The White House, Senator Frist's office, and Speaker Hastert's office also send representatives, and they tell us about the legislative agenda or other policy topics. Conservative candidates from around the country come there to introduce themselves. Virtually any group that has something going on can get a minute or two on the agenda, and I have done so numerous times to promote things the FRN was doing, such as the "Rally for America" events we did back in March. This is also how I was able to arrange for Angelwood to attend a speech given by President Bush. It is how we met Jeff Gannon of Talon News, who now hosts a program on Radio FR. In short, Grover Norquist has been of enormous help to us in connecting us with other people and organizations that share our goals.#283
And
I should probably also tell you that if Grover Norquist and I passed on the street, he might recognize me as someone he has seen around, but if he remembered my name, it would surprise me. That is the succinct description of where I am in the world of Grover Norquist. For me, this isn't really about Grover Norquist; nor is it about taking anybody's "side." I have a private business that has nothing to do with any of this. My whole involvement in politics is a very part-time volunteer deal. I'm a Freeper, not a Washington Creature. #367
and
Be careful here. I am not "defending Norquist" from things he actually did, if in fact they were wrong. I am not on some mission here to claim that he is pure in all of this. I don't claim to know. What I do know is that this document which has been presented to us as containing "documented facts" contains a whole bunch of documented facts that don't tell us anything, but are being presented as if they are some sort of damning indictment. HERE
Please stop implying that Nick's objections and arguments are on account of some "debt to Grover" because I might start to think this is your modus operandi, to take one statement out of context (which you just did) and attempt to make it appear nefarious. It isn't. No one is in a position to defend Grover, except Grover. You may not like that Nick is questioning this issue, but don't make this into some obligation to defend Grover. I can bet you that Grover Norquist doesn't know who "Nick Danger" is.
That is correct. I actually know this guy. Not well, but I know him. So this is not just a Keyboard Cowboy exercise for me. I care about this. I want to know the truth here.
I've heard all this stuff. Frank Gaffney stands outside the meeting room on Wednesdays and hands out his materials. I've read them. People take that stuff and walk right into the meeting with Grover Norquist. David Keene; David Frum; Chuck Muth; people from the White House; the Senate; the House; the Pentagon; the Cato Institute; the Heritage Foundation; the NRA; people running for office from all over the country. They walk right past Frank Gaffney and into Grover's meeting. That is what I see.
You said I'm in over my depth. I said it first. I admit it: I'm a Washington newbie. I just moved here a year ago. I don't do this for a living. I don't have "connections." I'm just some Freeper who's there on a volunteer basis once a week (and not every week) to hear what's going on, and to occasionally let people know what we're doing.
I have no idea what to think about a pissing contest between Frank Gaffney and Grover Norquist. I look around and it doesn't look to me like "old Washington hands" are paying much attention to Frank. If Grover Norquist is about to be arrested as a traitor to the United States, there are going to be a whole bunch of people who were sitting at his table the week before (I don't rate a seat at the table, BTW) who will be pretty embarrassed about that. So if I, a mere newbie, were to take my cues from people who have been around here a lot longer than I have, I would not pay a whole lot of attention to Frank Gaffney on this issue. People tell me he really is a big-time expert on defense stuff, and I have no reason to doubt that. But no one is acting as though he's an expert on this.
I thought it would probably have to stay there, because... how the hell am I ever gonna find out what the truth is here? And then, lo and behold, our Mystery Correspondent shows up right here on Free Republic. This is terrific. This is more time than David Frum has had with the guy.
So I listen to all this stuff. And I poke the guy. And I try to piss him off, to see what he does and where the smoke comes out. Because for me, this is a big puzzle. This man claims to have this big file of facts that means "X", where "X" is something that should have cleaned out that conference room a long time ago. But it hasn't.
I figure most people in that room are in the same state I'm in: they don't know what to believe about this. And they aren't in any position to call up the White House and poke around to find out. "So tell me Karl, were you and Grover running a honey pot, or are you guys traitors?" But some people in that room are capable of making those kinds of phone calls. And I observe them sitting at the table with Grover Norquist.
After watching how the smoke comes out when this guy starts to rant, I think I understand better now why the old Washington hands are not running for the exits.
Let me close by saying that it may turn out that Frank Gaffney is a hero for exposing all this. I can't rule that out. But I have to go with what I see, which is that after an initial period of considerable alarm about these charges, some very well-connected people with impeccable reputations have returned to Norquist's table. That is what I see. And when granted an opporunity to poke it at myself, I found it necessary to keep adding more and more windage as time went on, to account for personal animosity as the thing driving this effort. So in the end, I choose not to join you at the necktie party.
And on that note, I think I will get out of your way here so you can convince all these other fine people that Grover Norquist is a terrsymp dupe or worse, and that I am his shill. Do your worst.