Some relevant quotes:
"If I were a candidate, I’d be all over Jena," – Jesse Jackson, yesterday, after an hour-long speech at Columbia’s historically black Benedict College.
"I am pleased that the Louisiana state appeals court recognized that the aggravated battery charge brought in this case was inappropriate. I hope that today’s decision will lead the prosecutor to reconsider the excessive charges brought against all the teenagers in this case. And I hope that the judicial process will move deliberately to ensure that all of the defendants will receive a fair trial and equal justice under the law," – Barack Obama, September 14.
"When nooses are being hung in high schools in the 21st century, it’s a tragedy. It shows that we still have a lot of work to do as a nation to heal our racial tensions. This isn’t just Jena’s problem; it’s America’s problem," – Barack Obama, September 10.
Marc Ambinder follows up here.
The Dish 