BLOGGER: Students Speak with Walter Mondale

By Connect Mason Blogger Isaac Pacheco.

Former Vice-President and 1984 Presidential candidate Walter Mondale spoke with students from George Mason, Pace and Denver Universities during a distance learning program Feb. 2, hosted by Steve Scully, C-SPAN senior executive producer and political editor. See the interview (Requires free realPlayer download).

Mondale, who is best-known both for his reinvention of the Vice Presidential office during Jimmy Carter's presidency and for his historic selection of a female running mate, Geraldine Ferraro, during the 1984 Presidential elections, spoke fondly of his relationship with former President Jimmy Carter and of his executive office role.

Mondale bemoaned the fact that the current administration has lost sight of the ideals he helped establish for the Vice Presidential office. He said he feels like the current Vice President has entirely detached himself from the Oval Office and taken on an entirely separate Executive function. Mondale also addressed the roles of race and gender in politics, saying a diverse talent base has always existed in America, but will only thrive if negative discrimination is eliminated.

Mondale praised the character and accomplishments of Geraldine Ferraro and drew comparisons between his former running mate and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) whom he has vocally supported in the current Presidential campaign. According to Mondale, much of the success or failure of the Democratic Party in the upcoming general elections will depend on the eventual candidate's choice of Vice President.

Check out the full story and video.

See Pacheco's blog, Universal Veritas.