Walter Mondale

Walter Mondale
Name	Walter Mondale
Caption	Official portrait, 1977
Office	42nd Vice President of the United States
President	Jimmy Carter
Term start	January 20, 1977
Term end	January 20, 1981
Predecessor	Nelson Rockefeller
Successor	George H. W. Bush
Office1	United States Ambassador to Japan
President1	Bill Clinton
Term start1	September 21, 1993
Term end1	December 15, 1996
Predecessor1	Michael Armacost
Successor1	Tom Foley
Office2	United States Senator from Minnesota
Term start2	December 30, 1964
Term end2	December 30, 1976
Predecessor2	Hubert Humphrey
Successor2	Wendell Anderson
Office3	23rd Attorney General of Minnesota
Governor3	Orville Freeman
Term start3	1960
Term end3	1964
Predecessor3	Miles Lord
Successor3	Robert Mattson
Party	Democratic
Children	3, including Ted Mondale
Alma mater	University of Minnesota (BA), University of Minnesota Law School (LLB)
Birth date	5 January 1928
Birth place	Ceylon, Minnesota, U.S.
Death date	19 April 2021
Death place	Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Restingplace	Lakewood Cemetery

Walter Mondale was an American politician, diplomat, and lawyer who served as the 42nd Vice President of the United States under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Minnesota and as the state's Attorney General. He was the Democratic nominee in the 1984 presidential election, losing in a historic landslide to incumbent Ronald Reagan. Known for his liberal politics and advocacy for civil rights, Mondale remained an influential figure in public life for decades after his vice presidency.

Early life and education

Walter Frederick Mondale was born in Ceylon, Minnesota, to a family deeply involved in local politics and the Methodist church. His father was a minister and his mother was a music teacher, instilling values of public service. He attended public schools in southern Minnesota before enrolling at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. After serving in the United States Army during the Korean War, he transferred to the University of Minnesota, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He subsequently graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School with a Bachelor of Laws degree, which prepared him for a career in public service and law.

Early political career

Mondale's political career began in earnest when he managed the successful gubernatorial campaign of Orville Freeman in 1954. He was appointed Attorney General of Minnesota in 1960, succeeding Miles Lord, and was elected to a full term in 1962. In this role, he gained a reputation as a progressive reformer, focusing on consumer protection and civil rights. Following the election of Senator Hubert Humphrey to the vice presidency in 1964, Governor Karl Rolvaag appointed Mondale to fill Humphrey's vacant seat in the United States Senate. He was subsequently elected to two full terms, representing Minnesota from 1964 to 1976.

Vice presidency (1977–1981)

Selected by presidential nominee Jimmy Carter at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, Mondale became a key advisor and active partner in the Carter administration. His tenure was marked by an expanded role for the office, with regular participation in Cabinet meetings and National Security Council sessions. He championed domestic policies such as the Department of Education's creation and advocated for the Panama Canal Treaty and the Camp David Accords in foreign affairs. His close working relationship with Carter, however, was set against a backdrop of economic challenges, including stagflation, and the Iran hostage crisis, which contributed to their defeat in the 1980 election.

1984 presidential campaign

Securing the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984, Mondale made history by selecting Geraldine Ferraro, a Congresswoman from New York, as his running mate—the first major-party ticket to include a woman. His campaign was notable for its candor, as he pledged to raise taxes to address the federal deficit during a debate with opponent Ronald Reagan. The Reagan administration, buoyed by a strong economy and the president's personal popularity, mounted a formidable campaign. Mondale suffered a decisive defeat in the general election, carrying only his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia in the Electoral College.

Post-vice presidential career

Following his presidential run, Mondale returned to the practice of law at the firm Dorsey & Whitney in Minneapolis. He remained active in Democratic politics and public policy, serving on commissions and boards. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed him as the United States Ambassador to Japan, a post he held until 1996, where he worked on trade issues and security relations. He later served as Clinton's special envoy to Indonesia during a period of political transition. In 2002, he was drafted as a last-minute replacement for Senator Paul Wellstone on the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party ticket following Wellstone's death in a plane crash, but lost the election to Norm Coleman.

Later life and death

In his later years, Mondale was a senior fellow at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs and continued to offer counsel on political and legal matters. He authored a memoir, *The Good Fight: A Life in Liberal Politics*, in 2010. He maintained a residence in Minneapolis and remained a respected elder statesman of the Democratic Party. Walter Mondale died of natural causes on April 19, 2021, in Minneapolis at the age of 93. He was interred at Lakewood Cemetery, and was memorialized by figures across the political spectrum for his integrity and decades of public service.

Category:Walter Mondale Category:1928 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Vice Presidents of the United States