Former Vice President Walter Mondale, who was influential in shaping the growth of that office while serving under President Jimmy Carter from 1977-1981, has just published his memoir, THE GOOD FIGHT: A LIFE IN LIBERAL POLITICS, at a time when he is nearing 83 years of age in January, which also marks 30 years since he and Carter left the White House!
Carter and Mondale have already set a record for the longest joint retirement of a President and Vice President!
Mondale made the Vice Presidency a very significant office, with the cooperation of President Carter, who had him share in all decisions and did not see Mondale as a threat to his own ego!
Mondale went on to run for President against President Ronald Reagan in 1984, and told the truth when he said he would have to raise taxes, and so would Reagan. He was truthful, and Reagan misled, as taxes did indeed go up in 1986!
Mondale also chose the first woman candidate for Vice President, Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro of New York!
Although Mondale lost the race to Reagan in a landslide, winning only Minnesota, his home state, and Washington, DC, he went on to serve with distinction as Ambassador to Japan under President Bill Clinton!
Mondale, in an interview on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, stated that he was proud to call himself a liberal in the 1960s and 1970s, when he served with distinction in the US Senate, and he still is proud to say that today!
In that, the author joins him, as it is liberal and progressive ideas that brought about all of the great political, social and economic reforms in the 20th century, and now, in the early part of the 21st century! 🙂