I remember his last debate with Reagan when his face telegraphed, for all the country to see, that he knew he was going to lose and lose big. It was the question on age which Reagan answered by saying he had no plans to make his opponent's youth and inexperience an issue. Most liberal Democrats are masters at the art of lying. Mondale never even tried.
Years later, I met him when he was Clinton's Ambassador to Japan. Again, he charmed me as being a genuinely nice guy.
Then there was the final election he lost as the stand-in for Paul Wellstone. No bitterness, just a crack about making history as the first guy to lose elections in all 50 states.
Obummer would be wise to take advice from Mondale. Everyone I know who interacted with Mondale came away genuinely liking the guy, even if they disagreed with his politics. But BamBam is such an ideologue and megalomaniac that he won't.
There is only ONE that Obama takes advice from...Obama.
Well, I guess it’s fair to say Mondale is of the old-school Democrats — nice but misguided/stupid — versus the new-n-improved version which is hardcore hate-America totalitarian in its vision.
Another interesting fact: in the Reagan vs. Mondale election, Reagan didn't even bother to campaign in MN. He made an unscheduled stop in Rochester, MN, one or two days before the election. I suspected they landed for fuel and decided to make a brief appearance.
Despite all that, Reagan missed winning Minnesota by less than 1 vote per precinct.... i.e. about 3,000 votes. Several third-party candidates collected that many votes... apiece. And I've heard through the grapevine that the only reason Mondale won MN was because a lot of votes were manufactured at the last minute for him in northeastern MN (which was always the last to report results).
To elaborate on an earlier posting: the reason that Mondale didn't lose an election in MN until he substituted for Wellstone was that Mondale was never confronted with a "contested" election -- primary or general. In all of his state-wide elections, he always had the incumbent Democrat advantage, because he was first appointed to the position as a political favor.
Thanks for your reasoned words on Mondale.
He is a nice guy, but I’m glad he finished last.
By the way, Mondale’s running mate was Geraldine Ferraro.
Fox News keeps posting this photo of Bill Clinton,
lips pursed and squinting - and it is amazing how much
he is looking like Geraldine. Too funny.
Bill Clinton: the first black and female president.