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Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and other prominent Republicans have faulted President Donald Trumps response to the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., but there was little criticism and even some praise for Trumps handling of the issue when more than 400 activists, donors and candidates gathered Thursday for a GOP dinner outside Boca Raton.

There has been some chaos and turmoil of late, Palm Beach County Republican Chairman Michael Barnett acknowledged to the crowd at the partys annual Lobsterfest event at the Polo Club. But, Barnett added, God is on his throne, Republicans are in charge and Mr. Trump, our president, is in the Oval Office doing one heck of a job.

Part-time Palm Beach resident Trump initially blamed many sides for the violence in Charlottesville, then on Monday specifically condemned the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups.

On Tuesday, however, Trump drew fire for saying in a news conference that theres blame on both sides and that there were some very fine people among those protesting the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Barnett, the only black county GOP chairman in Florida and the states only black delegate at the 2016 Republican convention, said Trump has satisfactorily condemned prejudice and bigotry.

Hes right to criticize both sides, where the hates coming from, Barnett said in an interview. Hes, in my mind, clearly condemned the hate thats being spewed by these neo-Nazis, these Klansmen who wave the Confederate flag. I dont know what more people could ask in the way of a response.

U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Palm Coast, credited Trump with leadership and said the presidents both sides remarks dont dilute his criticism of white supremacists.

I think there is no place anywhere that the color of somebodys skin should equate to their value and I think that the president shows leadership when he is willing to call out in the face of adversity, of people yelling at him that there are people to blame, there are bad actors on both sides. That shouldnt take away from the neo-Nazis, the hate groups that should never be accepted by anybody. But it shows leadership to be able to stand up to that kind of a front from people yelling at him for calling out people that are bad on any side, Mast said.

On a night when conservative activist and guerilla videographer James OKeefe was the keynote speaker and decried the rotten media, many Lobsterfest attendees accused the media of distorting Trumps words.

I think his presidencys going great. He just has unprecedented attacks by a media that hates him, said Palm Beach County Republican State Committeeman Joe Budd, one of Trumps earliest local supporters.

Said Budd: When he made the statement there were good people on both sides, in context, both sides of what? A protest. That doesnt mean there were good people in the neo-Nazis, white supremacists. There werent any good people in there. But there were good people in the protest for keeping the statue up and there were good people in the protest for tearing the statue down. Thats what the good people on both sides simply means.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven Abrams, however, said he wishes Trump had stuck with his good statement from Monday.

At the (Tuesday) press conference, he should have said I stand by my statement on the previous day period, Abrams said.

Agriculture Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam avoided critiquing Trumps response to Charlottesville.

Ive been very clear in my own statements that hate has no place in our society. From the white supremacists, from the anti-Semitic movement, hate and violence wont be tolerated. And I think its important that all people in leadership positions be very clear about that. Thats why Ive been crystal clear about it, Putnam said in an interview.

Asked if Trump has been clear about it, Putnam said: Well, I believe that its important that he be clear and I certainly have been clear in my own statements about that.

Another potential candidate for governor, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Palm Coast, also emphasized the need for clarity while avoiding direct criticism of Trump.

His statement on Monday was strong. Obviously, weve gotten into some other issuesFrom my perspective I want to be clear that we want to treat actions like that as terrorism, we want a really strong penalty, and we also want to make clear that those folks do not represent any views that are acceptable, DeSantis said.

Everybodys ripping the president. Hes the most pro-Israel president in my lifetime. The idea that hes sympathetic to some neo-Nazi, I just dont believe that, DeSantis added.

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Republicans rip media, praise Trump Charlottesville leadership - MyPalmBeachPost