President Obama surprised the press pool today by making a 16-17 minute (seemingly off-the-cuff) statement on the tragic death of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent ruling in the George Zimmerman trial. Frankly, I was impressed to see the President employ his considerable oratorical powers to give the larger context as to why the Zimmerman ruling has resulted in such powerful reactions from so many people. Even if one agrees with the Zimmerman verdict, it’s helpful to understand why others are frustrated, and Obama explains it well.
Take a listen for yourself. His remarks received a warm response from Trayvon’s parents (as expected), but also from Robert Zimmerman (George’s brother).