It was buried in today's Pioneer Press Letters to the Editor page, but former Senator Rudy Boschwitz makes some good points about Mondale's supposed entry into the leadership of the Senate upon election.
Walter Mondale claims he would "immediately be part of the leadership" under Senate seniority rules. It has nothing to do with seniority, little or nothing to do with Senate leadership, but is a special 1977 provision to honor Hubert Humphrey when he went back to the Senate and it remains on the books.
Mondale would become deputy president pro-tempore of the Senate, a totally honorific job with no duties. He would get some extra office space, about $100,000 in additional staff allotments, plus a car and a driver. In short, it represents an additional government expense of about $200,000 that will not occur if he is not elected.
Mondale will not be senior to any sitting senator, so my guess is he would be 93rd or 94th of the 100 senators. Indeed, should Frank Lautenberg win in New Jersey, he will be senior to Mondale because he served in the Senate longer, and Senate rules give priority to Senate service over the vice-presidency.
In 1990, Mondale was sought as a candidate to run for the Senate against me. He responded: "One of the requirements of a healthy party is that it renews itself. You can't keep running Walter Mondale for everything."
The Democratic Party found a fellow named Wellstone. I completely misjudged him, relaxed, and he took me by storm.
Rudy Boschwitz
Plymouth
That last line by Boschwitz comes out of nowhere. It has a sad, almost wistful feeling about it. I think Rudy must still be grieving and regretting his opportunituies squandered, even now, almost 12 years later.
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