Former Secretary of State Colin Powell — who split with the Republican Party to endorse President Barack Obama two times — said Sunday there are some clearly racial elements within the GOP.

“There’s also a dark vein of intolerance in some parts of the party,” Powell said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “What do I mean by that? What I mean by that is they still sort of look down on minorities.”

While not mentioning former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin or former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu by name, Powell referenced past comments from each about Obama as evidence of racism in the party.

“When I see a former governor say the president is ‘shuckin’ and jivin’,’ that’s a racial-era slave term,” Powell said. Palin used the term to describe Obama’s response to the attacks in Benghazi, Libya.

WATCH: Powell's Comments on "Meet The Press"

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