Former president Jimmy Carter, the Democrat who served for a single term from 1977 to 1981, has urged other members of his party not to move too far to the left as they plan to oppose President Donald Trump in upcoming elections.

"Independents need to know they can invest their vote in the Democratic Party," Carter declared while delivering his annual report to his post-presidential center and library in Atlanta, according to the Associated Press. The former president noted that, while "Rosie and I voted for Bernie Sanders in the past," it does not mean that the party should not find a way to appeal to independents.

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As Carter put it, the goal is not going to be to win over Democratic voters — "I don’t think any Democrat is going to vote against a Democratic nominee" — but to convince moderates and independents that a Democratic ticket would be better than the Republican alternative. The former president also warned against any attempt to "move to a very liberal program like universal health care."

Carter also did not hold back in his scathing condemnation of the Trump administration.

"America is inherently committed to human rights, and I think in the future we will let that prevail," Carter declared. "But, for the next two years, I can’t predict the imprisoned children are going to be any better off — unfortunately."

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Carter had expressed similar negative thoughts about the Trump administration when speaking to Salon in July.