Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke will use the platform of Donald Trump’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland to continue his own version of the straight talk express, to borrow John McCain’s terminology. The GOP will have a hard time producing a more compelling speaker than Clarke, who doesn’t rise to anger, stays engaged on the issues and exhibits a powerful commitment to his convictions. Many commentators have credited Clarke with dominating CNN journalist Don Lemon in an interview (see below), winning a conversation that Clarke skillfully turned into a debate.

From his position as an African American law enforcement officer, Clarke condemns what he calls the “anti-police rhetoric coming from this hateful ideology.” That ideology is fomented by the Black Lives Matter movement, in Clarke’s opinion. With more officer fatalities this week, Clarke likens the group’s effect to that of the KKK. At least he believes the two groups are equally worthy of condemnation as hate groups. “There is no place in American discourse for that sort of vile, vitriolic hate coming out of this ideology,” he told Lemon. Every convention has its winners and losers. Speaking to Trump’s base from his unique perspective, Clarke is set to carve a large political path for his future.