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Former President Clinton didn't firmly agree or disagree with former President Carter's recent statements that President Obama's race motivates critics to disagree with him. However Mr. Clinton did describe some of Mr. Obama's more extreme critics as "racially prejudiced."

Mr. Carter made his comments nearly a week after U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouted "You lie!" at Mr. Obama during a joint session of Congress.

"I think it's based on racism," Carter said Sept. 15, responding during a Q-and-A session at his presidential center in Atlanta. "There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."

Mr. Clinton gave his perspective as a fellow white Southerner.

"I would say it in a different way," Mr. Clinton told Russ Mitchell, news anchor for CBS' "The Early Show."

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White House press secretary Robert Gibbs reiterated at his press briefing this afternoon that President Obama disagrees with former President Carter's assertion that Joe Wilson's "you lie" outburst and other animosity directed at the president is grounded in racism.

"The president does not believe that -- that the criticism comes based on the color of his skin," Gibbs said. "We understand that people have disagreements with some of the decisions that we've made and some of the extraordinary actions that had to be undertaken by this administration and previous administrations to stabilize our financial system, to ensure viability of our domestic auto industry."

"I don't -- I don't think that, you know, the president does not believe that it's based on the color of his skin," he continued.

Gibbs later added that the president "does not believe that the majority of this" is grounded in racism.

Gibbs was asked by reporters why this is not a "teachable moment" on race similar to the one that Mr. Obama identified following the Cambridge police flap.

"Obviously, the president has, and has always had, great concerns about race relations in this country," he replied. "He's talked about them in speeches. He's talked about them throughout his career in politics; believes we've made great strides, and obviously we've got work to do. But I -- I don't -- I'm not sure I see this -- this large national conversation going on right now."

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Updated 6:18 p.m. ET

CBS News has learned that former White House Press Secretary Jody Powell has died. Powell, who was 65, served as President Jimmy Carter's press secretary from 1977 to 1981.

According to a family friend, Powell died of a heart attack at his home on the eastern shore of Maryland.

"Jody Powell will be remembered as one of Jimmy Carter's most trusted advisors," said CBS News White House Correspondent Peter Maer, who covered Jody Powell when Jimmy Carter was Georgia governor and U.S. president. "His role went way beyond being a spokesman. Powell and other close Carter aides became known as the so-called Georgia Mafia."

"He rose from being Jimmy Carter's campaign driver to press secretary and key advisor in the Georgia State House and the White House," said Maer. "Mr. Carter once said that Jody Powell knew him better than anyone except First Lady Rosalyn Carter."

Powell was "one of Jimmy Carter’s closest aides," said CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, which allowed him "to provide authoritative inner circle insight into the President’s thinking and decisions."

"But Powell could alternate between the role of an erudite senior White House official, serious and all-business, and that of a good-ol boy from the South," Knoller continued. "He was known for his sense of humor and his ability to more than hold his own with any onslaught from the White House press."

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the news left him "deeply saddened."

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Former President Jimmy Carter is getting some attention for recently reiterating his separation from the Southern Baptist Convention due to gender discrimination. In an opinion piece that appeared in The Observer, a weekly newspaper in London, the former president said "the words of God do not justify cruelty to women."

In the op-ed last week, Mr. Carter called his severance with the church "painful and difficult." Yet, he said his decision was "unavoidable," as the church preached sexism, using examples of Adam and Eve to fuel female subservience and prohibiting women from serving in the church.

"The truth is that male religious leaders have had - and still have - an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women," Mr. Carter wrote. "They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter."

Mr. Carter says that such beliefs justify many crimes in addition to denying them access to equal education, employment, and other benefits.

"The view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief," Mr. Carter wrote. "This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women's equal rights across the world for centuries."

The former president says he and a group of prominent independent global leaders are challenging world leaders to change such teachings and practices.

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Former President Jimmy Carter was seen at the White House this morning, where he spent about 90 minutes in the West Wing - most of it with National Security Adviser Jim Jones, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller.

Mr. Carter's press secretary said Carter received a "private briefing ... as he has had with past administrations."

The White House added that President Obama briefly greeted Mr. Carter during the visit, reports Knoller.

CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer has covered all of the former presidents who joined George W. Bush and Barack Obama at the White House today.

Schieffer said that Mr. Obama was apparently struck by the current president’s graciousness at the Oval Office photo-op with Presidents Carter, Bush and Clinton.

“I got a hold of a friend of Obama's who said that he really took it to heart when the president said that they all wanted him to succeed,” Schieffer said. “He, according to this friend, has been very impressed with how gracious President Bush has been. He told the President today that he thought that graciousness was one of the reasons that his transition has gone so smoothly."

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"I want to thank the President-elect for joining the ex-president's for lunch," President Bush welcomed former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and his father George H. W. Bush as well as his successor Barack Obama to the Oval Office Wednesday.

Watch It Here:



"One message that I have and that we all share is that we all want you to succeed," Mr. Bush said addressing President-elect Obama. "Whether we are Democrat or Republican we all care about this country and to the extent we can we look forward to sharing our experiences with you," he added.

"All of us who have served in his office understand taht the office itself transcends the individual," the current president explained. "We wish you all the very best and so does that country" as the two men shook hands.

As White House press wranglers struggled to end the photo opportunity, President-elect Obama broke in. "I just want to thank the president, I just want to thank the president for hosting us. This is an extraordinary gathering, all the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and the possibilities of this office. And for me to have the opportunity to get advice and good counsel, and fellowship from these individuals is extraordinary and I am very grateful to all of them. But again thank you Mr. President for hosting us."

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Peter Maer is a CBS News White House Correspondent. He has covered the beat since 1977.

It's a day for White House historians and reporters to wish for a "fly on the wall" moment as President Bush, President-elect Obama and their predecessors Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton meet at the White House. The meeting was Mr. Obama's idea. The White House says George W. Bush was happy to arrange it.

Reporters only had a quick photo-session glimpse of the unique fraternity. It was a bi-partisan mutual admiration society as President Bush told his soon-to-be successor, " We want you to succeed. Whether we're a Democrat or a Republican, we care deeply about this country. To the extent we can, we look forward to sharing our experiences with you. All of us who have served in this office understand the office itself transcends the individual. We wish you all the very best and so does the country."

After shaking hands with President Bush, Mr. Obama said, " This is an extraordinary gathering. All of the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office. For me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary." CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Bill Plante asked the president-elect what he could learn from the mistakes of his predecessors. Mr. Obama responded, "from their successes!"

The left to right line-up in front of the Oval Office desk showed George H.W.Bush, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.

Reporters picked up on some presidential small talk as Bill Clinton complimented George W. Bush on the Oval Office floor-covering. Mr. Clinton said, " I love this rug." Each president chooses his own rug design for the famed office.

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