Bice: Sheriff Clarke says Donald Trump 'does not have a racist bone in his body'

Democrats and some Republicans called out President Donald Trump for his generic response to the white supremacists who incited violence on Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.

But Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. is standing by his man. 

In an appearance on Fox News' Sean Hannity show, Clarke defended Trump against criticism that he initially failed to single out any groups for the deadly, hate-fueled clashes at the Virginia rally, bemoaning violence on "many sides."

"I know him personally," Clarke said Monday of the president. "Look, he does not have a racist bone in his body."

On Saturday, a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville turned into a violent showdown between white supremacists and counter-protesters. One woman was killed and 19 others injured when a driver slammed his car into a crowd of those opposing the rally. Two police officers also died when their helicopter crashed.

Trump did not immediately condemn the white nationalists and neo-Nazis who sponsored the rally. On Monday, bowing to pressure on the left and right, the president denounced the hate groups by name.

Appearing as part of a panel of three conservative African-Americans on Hannity's show, Clarke said there was nothing wrong with Trump's initial response. The criticism, Clarke said, was coming from liberals hoping to score "cheap political points," though some GOP leaders were also critical of the Republican president. 

The Milwaukee lawman said he was "proud" of the way Trump handled the situation. 

"I thought what he said (initially) was measured," said Clarke, a frequent surrogate for Trump. "It was thoughtful. It was very presidential. And it calmed the waters."

The fourth-term sheriff said it was important that Trump not go too far at first because he didn't have all the facts.

Overall, Clarke seemed to take the same position as Trump, describing the Charlottesville rally as "hate versus hate," white supremacists opposed by Black Lives Matter and Antifa militants. "There are just no winners there," he said. 

Clarke suggested that Trump ignore the criticism because nothing he could have said would have satisfied his liberal foes. 

He added, "I thought it was pretty embarrassing, too, that politicians on both sides of the board couldn't get to a microphone or a camera fast enough to flaunt their racial and their moral superiority out of this thing."

Earlier this year, Clarke announced that he would be taking a top position in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, though the agency never made an announcement. Under attack from many directions, the sheriff later said he would not be joining the Trump administration.  

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.