Walter F. Mondale was the 42nd vice president of the United States (1977–81) in the administration of President Jimmy Carter. He was also the Democratic candidate for president in 1984 and became the first major-party candidate to choose a woman, Geraldine Ferraro, as a running mate. Mr. Mondale was U.S. ambassador to Japan from 1993 - 1996. In 1964 he was appointed as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hubert H. Humphrey and was subsequently re-elected for two additional terms.