Former President Carter "Racism Inclination Still Exists"

Former President Carter in an interview with NBC's Brian Williams Tuesday says that race plays a role in Obama's dislike.

Atlanta, GA. - During an interview on NBC Evening News Tuesday former President Jimmy Carter told Brian Williams "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African American."

Carter told Williams that he believes race is at the core of much of the opposition to President Obama reports the Washington Post. He also said "I live in the South, and I've seen the South come a long way, and I've seen the rest of the country that shared the South's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African Americans."

The former President continued "And that racism inclination still exists. And I think it's bubbled up to the surface because of the belief among many white people, not just in the South but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It's an abominable circumstance, and it grieves me and concerns me very deeply."

The outspoken 39th President also says that he believes President Obama will be able to "triumph over the racist attitude that is the basis for the negative environment that we see so vividly demonstrated in public affairs in recent days."