Walter Mondale

Biden describes former VP Walter Montel as a giant in political history

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MINNEAPOLIS — President Joe Biden saluted his “friend of five decades” Walter Mondale on Sunday

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Mondale died in April 2021 at age 93. He is credited with transforming the office of the vice presidency — which Biden himself held for eight years under President Barack Obama

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Mondale “was a giant in American political history,” Biden said of Mondale, known to friends as “Fritz.”

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Biden added that Mondale was one of the “toughest, smartest men I’ve ever worked with”

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Biden emphasized Mondale’s empathy, recalling his own promise during the 2020 presidential campaign to unite the country

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Biden added of Mondale: “He united people sharing the light, the same hopes — even when we disagreed, he thought that was important.”

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Mondale remained an important Democratic voice for decades afterward, and went on to serve as ambassador to Japan under President Bill Clinton

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