After mounting pressure from black leaders to speak out about the Trayvon Martin killing, President Obama talked to reporters about the case during a press conference where he announced Jim Yong Kim’s nomination for World Bank President. He spoke about the shooting from the perspective of a parent.
>On Tuesday, just before back-to-back rallies in New York City and Sanford, Florida, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that Obama wouldn’t comment on the case:
“We here in the White House are aware of the incident, and we understand that the local FBI office has been in contact with the local authorities and is monitoring the situation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Trayvon Martin’s family but obviously, we’re not going to wade into a local law-enforcement matter.”
Politico reports that Obama has been pressed by black leaders to lend his voice to the national discussion about the Martin killing. Yvette Carnell, a former Hill staffer and blogger for Your Black World, referenced Obama’s personal phone call to Sandra Fluke when she spoke about the Martin case:
