And in a no holds barred interview with Salon, the “Man from Plains” spoke plainly about why a generation of white men have solidly embraced the Republican party in multiple elections.

“It’s race. That’s been prevalent in the South…. Ever since Nixon ran — and ever since Johnson didn’t campaign in the deep South, the Republicans have solidified their hold there,” he said.

Carter also said that GOP attacks on programs like food stamps have a coded appeal for the wealthy.

“Those kind of things just exalt the higher class, which is the whites, and they draw a subtle, but very effective racial line throughout the South,” Carter said.

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I’ve probably known him longer than anybody on this panel. Hung out with him,” Dyson said. “I’ve been a victim of his vicious assaults in public. I’ve held my powder. That ain’t my usual nature. [Dr. Farah Griffin] called me up and I listened to Farah. Because she loves us both [and was] trying to negotiate a cease of hostilities. But I’m not going to pretend that it doesn’t hurt for you to call me a sellout because I disagree with you. You can be ‘ride-or-die,’ but while you’re riding — see who your vehicle is rolling over.”

Dr. Dyson voiced his belief that Dr. West’s criticisms of President Obama stem from his personal vendetta against the president after West felt that he had been “snubbed.” Dr. West did not receive an invitation to Obama’s 2013 inauguration after attending the president’s first inauguration in 2009. One of West’s major criticisms has centered on his belief that the White House is not providing access to those working for civic and legislative causes.

“With [former President] Bill Clinton, you’re rhapsodizing about access [to the White House] — if access is a problem, it was a problem then. Not because you didn’t get a ticket to go to the inauguration for Obama!” Dr. Dyson stated emphatically. “I’m not talking about just [West], he ain’t the only one. But since he’s been public about it, here’s my response to [his criticism]: I love you, but you can’t talk about love and act unlovingly. It’s the personal assault on Obama that I found problematic, not the principled critique. I’m not mad at principled critique, but you still could be wrong. But when you start indicting my soul like I’ve given my soul over to Obama or the devil — now you’re tripping. You ain’t that important. You’re not God to be able to leverage the divine assignment of privilege or punishment.”

Police in Michigan arrested three men who are accused of viciously beating an Army veteran who objected to their racist remarks.

According to the Westland Police Department, United States Army veteran Adam Wagner went to a 7-11 convenience store at 2 a.m. Saturday morning to purchase a pack of cigarettes. Once inside, he noticed three men harassing the female clerk, and he told them to stop.

When he walked outside, the trio followed him. At this point, Wagner told police, they noticed the Army insignia on Wagner’s car and began to taunt him about the military.

“They were saying, ‘How can you be in the military when they let black people in the military?’ They used the ‘n word’, saying [he] was an ‘n-word’ lover,” Wagner’s girlfriend told WJBK.

“I took pretty, pretty good offense to that because my best friend in the army was black. He saved my life,” Wagner added.

The suspects — all of whom had shaved heads — then began to assault Wagner, punching and kicking him until he was on the ground.

The men followed the victim outside to the parking lot. The suspects noticed military insignias on the victim’s car and then began to make insulting remarks about him and the U.S. military, Jedrusik said. They began punching and kicking him.

The attackers fled on foot. The victim followed them while trying to call police, but the attackers beat him up once more, knocking him to the ground, punching and kicking him again, said police.

“They beat the heck out of him,” Jedrusik said. “They beat him pretty bad.”

They suspects may have been “either intoxicated or just causing trouble,” he said.

The victim got help from a resident who called the police. Paramedics took him to a hospital and he was released later. He suffered lacerations to his face and mouth, head injuries and a broken nose.