“I think the tea party has a big race problem,” said Dean appearing alongside Republican strategist Ed Rollins at the event, which was arranged by the school’s National Center for Suburban Studies and the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency…

Added Dean: “I actually approve of most of what the tea party is doing… I think it’s great to have individuals reach out to take their own responsibility for their own [future] and lashing out against government that has really forgotten them… but I also believe that there is a fringe of racism in the tea party, which unfortunately for the tea party that is focused on” by the media.

He blamed the “liberal media” for focusing on the “Obama is a Nazi” posters instead of the party’s populist undercurrents but also said “FOX runs these race-baiting programs… aimed at ginning up the racists attitudes that you see.”