Spoke at the end about the situation with Norquist. Norquist has thus far not backed down. Gaffney was speaking from upstairs at some reception, and said that Norquist was downstairs, though he hadn't run into him yet. Said it remained to be seen how Norquist would conduct himself.
Gaffney discussed how Norquist, and other people at his behest, had brought many radical Islamists who are supporters of terror, into contact with candidate Bush and the Bush White House. Also, that in doing so, Norquist had done both the President and genuinely moderate Muslims a great disservice, because the radicals were able to assume legitimacy and clout they didn't deserve.
Gaffney took pains to say that he was sure that President Bush was unaware of the nature of some of the people with whom he'd been brought into contact (by implication, he meant prior to the contact, as with Al Arian), but that Bush (meaning his Administration) needed now to go about identifying more moderate factions, and avoid the radicals.
