Former Vice President Walter Mondale, who served with Jimmy Carter, dead at 93

VP Walter Mondale in the kitchen of the Vice President's Residence — U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale lifts his Thanks Giving turkey from the broiler, Thursday, Nov.11, 1977 in the kitchen of his Washington residence. "Every Thanksgiving," Mondale stated, "I make the turkey and let my wife sleep."
AP Photo

Walter Mondale, who served as vice president under Jimmy Carter, died at the age of 93.
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Walter Mondale, who served as vice president under former President Jimmy Carter, died on Monday at the age of 93.

According to Axios, Mondale contacted Presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter on Sunday to let them know his death was near. Mondale passed away in Minneapolis, according to his family.

Biden long admired Mondale, whose nickname was "Fritz." At an event honoring Mondale in 2015, Biden said, "I took Fritz's roadmap. He actually gave me a memo, classic Fritz, gave me a memo, as to what I should be looking for and what kind of commitments I should get to be able to do the job the way Fritz thought it should be done."

Mondale's political life spanned decades, starting with his career as a lawyer and serving as Minnesota's attorney general, and including a later stint as an ambassador to Japan under President Clinton.

Before serving as Carter's vice president, Mondale served as a US Senator from Minnesota and wrote a book in 1975, titled, "The Accountability of Power: Toward a More Responsible Presidency."

After their term together, on November 4, 1980, Carter and Mondale lost their reelection campaign to former President Ronald Reagan and then running-mate George H.W. Bush.

In 1984, Mondale would run again, this time securing the Democratic nomination for president and choosing the first female running mate on a general election ticket, New York Rep. Geraldine Ferraro. Mondale and Ferraro were defeated by Reagan and Bush in 1984. They won only one state, Mondale's home state, and the District of Columbia.

With a staunch commitment to liberal politics and deep involvement with Carter's decision-making, Mondale is considered to have transformed the role of the vice presidency.

After news of Mondale's passing broke on Monday, Carter issued a statement calling Mondale, "the best vice president in our country's history."