Jackson reaffirms backing of Obama

The Rev. Jesse Jackson appeared to backtrack today from criticism of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama for not being more vocal about the controversial case of six black teenagers charged in the beating of a classmate in Jena, La.

The State newspaper reported today that during a speech Tuesday at historically black Benedict College in Columbia, S.C., the civil rights leader said Obama was "acting like he's white" in his tepid response to the Jena case, which has inflamed racial tensions and which has drawn criticism that prosecutors are treating the teens too harshly. Critics have pointed out that some white students were only briefly suspended when three nooses were put on a treet at Jena High School.

But today, Jackson reaffirmed his endorsement of Obama, who is the son of a Kenyan father and white mother and is trying to appeal to African-American and white voters in pursuit of the nomination.

"He has remarkably transcended race, however the impact of [Hurricane] Katrina and Jena makes America's unresolved moral dilemma of race unavoidable," Jackson, who ran for president himself, said in a statement. "I think Jena is another defining moment of the issue of race and the criminal justice system. This issue requires direct and bold leadership. I commend Sen. Obama for speaking out and demanding fairness on this defining issue. Any attempt to dilute my support for Sen. Obama will not succeed."

Democratic rivals John Edwards and Chris Dodd have also expressed deep concern about the Jena case.

"As someone who grew up in the segregated South, I feel a special responsibility to speak out on racial intolerance," Edwards said in a statement. "To measure our progress in the fight against racism, today our nation looks to Jena, Louisiana. Americans of all races are traveling to Jena because they believe that how we respond to the racial tensions in Jena says everything about who we are as a nation."

Dodd said in a statement, "The events in Jena, Louisiana are a sobering reminder that while segregation was outlawed long ago, de facto segregation in many parts of this country is still very real. No reasonable person would call what these young men have received 'equal justice.' I sincerely hope that Governor Blanco intervenes in this case and grants immediate reprieves should any of the Jena 6 be convicted."