Steve Bannon Speaks Before South Florida Law Firm

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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who ran the Trump presidential campaign, has been on the lecture circuit.

Friday, he brought his message to South Florida, speaking to a select group at the prominent Tripp Scott law firm in Fort Lauderdale.

It's part of a recurring lecture series at the firm. The event was closed to the media but those who attended the session say Bannon delivered an optimistic message.

Bannon said he helped build a new Republican coalition, which included disgruntled Democrats tired of seeing their jobs shipped overseas, while illegal immigrants poured over the border.

In Trump, Bannon says he found the perfect messenger.

"Donald Trump ran (inaudible). He's an American hero, right. He may not be everybody's cup of tea and he's a very imperfect person, right, and he admits that. But he's an American hero, he didn't need to do this, he did this for his country," Bannon said. "He knew his country was in a crisis and he knew if the Clinton's and that hunt that they have got control of the apparatus of the United States government again with the House, the Senate, the Judiciary. It would have been over."

Bannon reportedly told attendees he expected Trump to be re-elected.

Outside of the building where Bannon spoke, a small group of protesters held up signs, like "stop white supremacy." Bannon critics see him aligned with white nationalism.

"Readying and advocating for hatred, for fear, for division. It is one that I personally find terrifying and one that we can see has worked successfully in the past to some really scary consequences," said protestor Alessandra Mondolfi. "Not on my watch. While he has a First Amendment right to speak, I have my First Amendment right to protest what he says."

Bannon also indicated he's standing with embattled Alabama Senate candidate Judge Roy Moore, and calls the Russia investigation an attempt at nullifying the 2016 election which propelled Donald trump to the White House.