Jimmy Carter pays tribute to Walter Mondale



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Former President Jimmy Carter has credited Walter F. Mondale, his former vice president who died Monday at the age of 93, with transforming the office from a secondary role to a government partner with his political skills and personal integrity.

Mr Carter led the tributes to Mr Mondale, many of which came from the political left.

They recalled Mr. Mondale, the 42nd Vice President and former United States Senator who lost the 1984 presidential election in a landslide to Ronald Reagan, as a tireless advocate for liberal causes like civil rights reform and a gracious official who chose the first woman in contention. companion on a major party ticket, Geraldine Ferraro.

In a statement, Mr. Carter, 96, called Mr. Mondale, nicknamed Fritz, the best vice president in American history.

“During our administration, Fritz used his political skills and personal integrity to transform the vice presidency into a dynamic and political force that had never been seen before and that still exists today,” Mr. Carter. “He was an invaluable partner and an excellent servant to the people of Minnesota, the United States and the world. Fritz Mondale has provided all of us with a model of public service and private behavior. “

President Biden, in a joint statement with First Lady Jill Biden, said Monday evening that he had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Mondale and his family over the weekend. He recalled how Mr. Mondale was one of the first people to greet him when he arrived in Washington in 1973, when he and Mr. Mondale were both senators, and how he turned to him for get advice.

“When President Obama asked me to consider becoming his vice president, Fritz was my first call and my guide to confidence,” Biden said. “He didn’t just take my call, he wrote me a memo. It was Walter Mondale who defined the vice-presidency as a full partnership and helped provide a model for my service.

Mr Biden said few senators have garnered such universal respect as Mr Mondale.

“He may have been modest and unpretentious, but he was steadfast in his pursuit of progress; has contributed to the adoption of laws like the Fair Housing Law to prevent racial discrimination in housing, Title IX to provide more opportunities for women and laws to protect our environment, ”he said .

Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman elected to the post, praised Mr. Mondale for his collaborative role in the Carter administration and for his selection of Ms. Ferraro in 1984 as vice president.

“He brought the president and vice president closer together, redefining the relationship as a true partnership,” Harris said in a statement Monday night. “Vice President Mondale worked side by side with President Carter as the two worked to end the arms race, promote human rights and establish peace.”

Ms Harris said Mr Mondale’s choice of Ms Ferraro opened “a new door to the future,” to use her words.

Former President Barack Obama said Monday night on Twitter that Mondale had laid the groundwork for future vice presidents to become major contributors to White House administrations.

“Walter Mondale championed progressive causes and changed the role of vice president. @Joe Biden could be the last in the room when decisions have been made, ”Obama said. “By choosing Geraldine Ferraro, he also paved the way for @VP to make history. Michelle and I send prayers to her family.

Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, home of Mr. Mondale, who unsuccessfully ran for president last year, said on Twitter that he had been a mentor and friend to her, and that he was kind and dignified until the end.

“On the wall of the Carter Library is a quote from Walter Mondale at the end of their term,” Ms. Klobuchar said. “’We spoke the truth. We obeyed the law. We have kept the peace. That pretty much sums up the life and service of Walter Mondale.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, said on Twitter that Mr. Mondale is well respected and appreciated on both sides of the aisle.

“He was a man of intelligence and integrity, and he exercised both during his long public service career as attorney general, ambassador, US senator and vice president,” he said. she declared.

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, the Democratic candidate for vice-president in 2016, called Mondale on Twitter Monday evening as visionary.

“So much to say about Walter Mondale,” Mr. Kaine said. “I will always think of him as the main sponsor of the Fair Housing Act and the first presidential candidate to ask a woman to join him on the ticket. Ahead of its time.

Tributes to Mr. Mondale did not come exclusively from the left.

Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate, said on Twitter Monday evening that Mondale had brought an optimistic disposition to public service.

“It’s hard to find a photo of Fritz Mondale where he’s not smiling,” Mr. Romney said. “A joyful and good soul who will surely be welcomed by a loving God.”

Senator Bill Hagerty, Republican of Tennessee, sent his condolences to Mr. Mondale’s family on Twitter Monday evening.

“Whereas Walter Mondale and I had different political convictions when I was American ambassador. in Japan, a position he once held, he has always been courteous and kind to his time and advice, ”he said. “I will cherish our calls and our correspondence.”

Reverend Franklin Graham, the head of Samaritan’s Purse, an evangelical organization, said on Twitter that Mr. Mondale had served the nation faithfully for years and that his family would appreciate Americans’ prayers.

The opposition party in Mr. Mondale’s home state also nodded to him on Monday evening.

“Despite our obvious political differences, it is undeniable that Mondale was a man of character who had the best interests of his fellow Minnesotans in mind when he governed,” the Republican Party of Minnesota said on Twitter.



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