Walter Mondale was an American Democrat politician, diplomat, and lawyer who served as the 42nd vice president of the United States and represented Minnesota in the United States Senate.
Born January 5th, 1928 in Cleylon, Minnesota, Mondale’s political success made him one of the most notable Minnesotans. Mondale began his political career in 1960, when appointed as Minnesota Attorney General. In 1964, when Democrat Hubert Humphrey left the Senate to become vice president, Mondale was appointed to succeed him. Mondale served Minnesota as a U.S. Senator until 1976, when he was elected as vice president in Jimmy Carter’s presidential win. Mondale ran as the democratic nominee in an unsuccessful bid for President of the United States in 1984, losing to republican Ronald Reagan. Mondale's selection of U.S. Rep. Geraldine Ferraro of New York as his running mate made him the first major-party presidential nominee to put a woman on the ticket. Mondale later served as ambassador to Japan in President Clinton’s administration. Returning to Minnesota in 1996, he joined the Minnesota legal community, and enjoyed the role of elder statesman to contemporaries.
November 16, 2009 - On the 30th anniversary in the United States' post-Vietnam War experience, MPR’s Dan Olson takes a look back. 1979 was the year that the U.S., led by Vice President Walter Mondale, convinced world leaders to come to the rescue of more than a million so-called "boat people."
October 22, 2010 - On this Midday call-in program, former Vice President Walter Mondale joins MPR’s Gary Eichten to take questions about his new political memoir, The Good Fight: A life in Liberal Politics. The book traces Mondale's career from a young Minnesota attorney general to Vice President. While personal, it's also the story of half a century of progressive politics.
January 20, 2012 - A broadcast of "Heckuva Farewell," an event for MPR’s Gary Eichten, held at the Fitzgerald Theater on January 19, 2012. For his last Midday show, Gary interviews Vice President Mondale, Minnesota's senior statesman. The two hold a wide-ranging political discussion.
July 10, 2014 - An MPR News Presents program held at Westminster Townhall Forum with former Vice President Walter Mondale.
January 19, 2017 - This MPR News with Tom Weber feature takes a look back to January 20th, 1977, when Minnesota’s Walter Mondale was sworn in as the Vice President of the United States. Segment includes interview excerpts, descriptions of Inauguration Day, and audio of the complete swearing in of Mondale.
October 16, 2018 - MPR’s Peter Cox reports on creation of Josie Robinson Johnson fellowship. The University of Minnesota is establishing a fellowship in the name of one of the state's foremost civil rights leaders. The Josie Robinson Johnson fellowship will go to graduate students at the Humphrey School for Public Affairs who have specific interest in addressing racial inequities and injustices - a subject Johnson and other luminaries reflected on at event announcement.
April 3, 2019 - MPR’s Marianne Combs presents a profile of Josie Johnson, renowned local civil rights activist. Feature includes interview with Johnson about her life and book, and comments from Vernon Jordan and Walter Mondale, amongst others. Johnson’s memoir is titled "Hope in the Struggle."