A few thoughts on President Obama trying to adopt Trayvon Martin posthumously and lecture America on its need to do some soul searching:

1. Newt is right. Obama’s statement is shameful. An innocent teenager is killed, and the president uses the situation to position himself as the victim and America as the perpetrator.

2. If Obama had a son he would look like Trayvon Martin. It’s an understandable, personal, emotional reaction for him to have. But as president he has a duty to speak more responsibly.

3. What on earth is Maggie Haberman’s point here? The usual culprits are exploiting the race angle so Obama is automatically justified in doing so as well? Her liberal instincts force her to attempt to defend Obama and refute Gingrich’s point, but she only talks past it:

Obama has gotten some criticism for discussing a pending legal matter. But the question of whether Martin’s race was a factor in his death, in which his alleged shooter was not arrested, is very much a part of the outcry over the case, and why it’s gotten so much attention.