Walter Mondale, Former Vice President, Dead at Age 93
Jimmy Carter, the governor from Georgia who had improbably won the Democratic nomination in 1976, turned to Mondale when he needed a «Northern presence» on the ticket — and someone who had a liberal track record. Despite being relatively unknown, the pair narrowly prevailed over President Gerald Ford, who was severely weakened by Watergate and Vietnam.In a statement after Mondale's death, Carter called Mondale a «dear friend» and said he considers him the «greatest vice president in our country's history.» «During our administration, Fritz used his political skill and personal integrity to transform the vice presidency into a dynamic, policy-driven force that had never been seen before and still exists today,» Carter said.