Jim Heffernan: Memories of Mondale include Piedmont Heights 'attack' From the column: "I was, in a sense, present at the creation of Mondale as a nationally significant political leader." Written By: Jim Heffernan | × Jim Heffernan Like every other high-level Minnesota politician, Walter Mondale visited Duluth quite often during his active years, almost always calling on the state’s third-largest newspaper here in Duluth. In my various newsroom roles at the News Tribune (and Duluth Herald before it was discontinued), I met him many times, causing me to reflect on those times this week when the former vice president, past Minnesota U.S. senator, ex-Minnesota attorney general, and affable human being died at age 93.