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Walter "Fritz" Mondale Biography

U.S. Vice President

Name at birth: Walter Frederick Mondale

Democrat Walter "Fritz" Mondale has been involved in national and Minnesota politics since the 1940s, when he helped Hubert H. Humphrey get elected to the U.S. senate (1948). When Humphrey was chosen to be Lyndon Johnson's vice president, Mondale was chosen to replace Humphrey in the senate. Mondale was re-elected in 1966 and 1972, then served as vice president under Jimmy Carter (1977-81). In 1984 Mondale ran for the presidency, but lost to incumbent Ronald Reagan. In 1987 he returned to Minnesota and practiced law, and during the administration of Bill Clinton Mondale served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan (1993-97). After the October 2002 death of Senator Paul Wellstone, Mondale announced that he would run again for the U.S. Senate in Wellstone's place.

Extra credit: Mondale is the father of television personality Eleanor Mondale.

If vice presidents get your motor running, you should read our special loop on The Unfinished Terms of Vice Presidents. It doesn't include Mondale.