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President Obama says he doubts whether he or any other politician could play a lead role in a national 鈥渃onversation鈥� about race in America today.

鈥淚 haven't seen that be particularly productive when politicians try to organize conversations,鈥� he said at the White House Friday, an observation in the middle of his long, unscripted comments on the shooting death of Trayvon Martin 鈥� except that what he said certainly will be seen as a key moment in just such a conversation.

Five years into his presidency, Mr. Obama spoke movingly and at length about the case of an unarmed teenager killed by self-appointed neighborhood 鈥渨atch鈥� volunteer George Zimmerman, apparently suspicious of, following, and then ignoring the direction of a 911 police dispatcher to confront the black youth.

鈥淭here are very few African-American men in this country who haven鈥檛 had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me,鈥� Obama said. 鈥淎nd there are very few African-American men who haven鈥檛 had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars. That happens to me, at least before I was a senator.鈥� (Obama's full speech here.)

The reaction to Obama鈥檚 18-minute unannounced oration in the White House press room Friday came quickly and across the political spectrum.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad he spoke up today,鈥� Robert Zimmerman, George Zimmerman鈥檚 brother and a family spokesman told FOX News. 鈥淚 think he was very sincere in his remarks.鈥�

鈥淣o matter what your opinion of the verdict is, there have to be things that bring us together, there have to be teachable moments that we learn from what happened here,鈥� Robert Zimmerman said.

Elsewhere on the conservative cable channel, the comments had a sharper edge.

Fox鈥檚 Sean Hannity suggests that the main reason Obama identifies with Trayvon is that the two as teenagers had smoked marijuana.

On Facebook, Fox News radio host Todd Starnes wrote that Obama鈥檚聽comments about the Trayvon Martin shooting makes the president 鈥淩ace-Baiter in Chief.鈥�

鈥淗is remarks today on the Trayvon Martin tragedy are beyond reprehensible,鈥� Starnes wrote.

Other defenders of George Zimmerman, found not guilty by a jury of six, seemed to better understand what Obama was trying to do.

鈥淧pl say we need to have an honest conversation about race. Sounds like the President tried to start one. Don't see the need to attack,鈥� tweeted Eric Ericson, conservative editor-in-chief of RedState.com.

"It takes courage to talk about race,鈥� Mark O'Mara, Zimmerman's lawyer, said in a statement.聽鈥淚t took courage for our President to address the Zimmerman Case and candidly discuss how and why people are upset by the verdict."聽

Ana Navarro, a Republican consultant, said she cringed at first when she heard the president had spoken about the case.

"I cringed because I think the last thing we need is to insert politics into what is already a very divisive, emotional debate," she told the Associated Press. "When I actually read his words, I thought he had been measured, respectful of the legal process."

Many in the African-American community have wanted more from Obama on race in the nation today, which they trace back to what鈥檚 been called 鈥淎merica鈥檚 original sin鈥� of slavery.

"I think African Americans in particular wanted him to speak to an issue that deals with race as African Americans see it, and I think African Americans are pleased he's done so," Brenda Stevenson, a history professor at the University of California Los Angeles, told the AP. "But I think the president wanted to do so without alienating other people."

But civil rights leader and MSNBC host Al Sharpton, whose National Action Network is planning rallies in 100 cities to press for federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman on Saturday, called the president's words historic.

"There is nothing more powerful than the president of the United States, for the first time in history, saying, 'I know how they feel,'" he said.

As they have been throughout their ordeal, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, Trayvon Martin鈥檚 parents, were dignified and respectful in their response to Obama鈥檚 comments Friday.

鈥淲e are deeply honored and moved that President Obama took the time to speak publicly and at length about our son,鈥� they said in a statement. 鈥淭he President鈥檚 comments give us great strength at this time.鈥�

鈥淧resident Obama sees himself in Trayvon and identifies with him,鈥� they said. 鈥淭his is a beautiful tribute to our boy.鈥澛�

If there is to be any conversation on race, Obama said, the most important part may be private 鈥� like prayer.

Individual Americans should 鈥渄o some soul-searching鈥� about their own racial biases, he said, asking themselves, 鈥淎m I wringing as much bias out of myself as I can?聽Am I judging people, as much as I can, based on not the color of their skin but the content of their character?"

"That would, I think, be an appropriate exercise in the wake of this tragedy," he said.