Redford: Racism drives some Obama critics

David Jackson | USA TODAY

Actor Robert Redford says some of President Obama's critics are intentionally trying to wreck his administration, and some of it is driven by race.

"There is a body of congressional people that wants to paralyze the system," Redford said on CNN. "I think what sits underneath it, unfortunately, is there's probably some racism involved, which is really awful."

Saying that Obama's opponents are trying "to destroy this person," Redford said that "they wanted, if it meant destroying the government, anything to keep him from succeeding."

The Oscar-winning director and veteran actor added: "I think just the idea of giving credit to this president, giving him credit for anything, is abhorrent to them, so they'll go against it. Never mind that it's the better good of the people, never mind that they're supposed to be in office representing the interest of the public. They're representing their own self-interests, which is very narrow and in some cases bigoted."

Redford is promoting his new film, All Is Lost -- which is about a sailor trying to save himself in a damaged boat, not the failures of the American government.

Speaking in the midst of a government shutdown and a debt ceiling dispute, Redford also blamed aging men who are "afraid of change."

The solutions, he said, are women and young people.

"Give them the reins," Redford said. "I think they can do better than we have."