Journalist and TV show host Eleanor Mondale, the daughter of former vice president Walter Mondale, has died at age 51. Mondale, who until 2009 hosted a daytime show for WCCO radio in her native Minnesota, died at home today of complications due to brain cancer.
Mondale began her television career at WCCO-TV. She worked for E! Online, ESPN, ESPN2 and Speed Channel. She also worked for a time on CBS News “This Morning.”
It was also announced today that Kara Kennedy, the daughter of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, died last night, also at age 51. Kara Kennedy and Eleanor Mondale were both teenagers when their fathers were involved in presidential politics. Kennedy ran unsuccessfully for the democratic nomination in 1980 against the incumbent Jimmy Carter and VP Walter Mondale. Carter/Mondale would win the nomination but lose to Ronald Reagan. In 1984 Mondale won the democratic nomination for president, but would lose to Reagan in the general election.