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Former Vice President Mondale reflects on legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

"She was maybe the most influential member of the court. It's not that she won every case, but she was hugely influential on that bench."

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — *Editor's note: The above video was published Friday, Sept. 18, 2020.

Following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Friday evening, former Vice President Walter Mondale weighed in on the late justice's impact, as well as his concern over the future make up of the nation's highest court. 

Speaking to KARE 11 Saturday by phone, Mondale says while he had only met the justice about three times, he thought she was "exemplary."

"She was maybe the most influential member of the court. It's not that she won every case, but she was hugely influential on that bench," Mondale said. "I would hope that the bench could be a place where thoughtful judges could balance out different arguments and have acceptance of each other, at least as individuals. I'm not sure we're going to have that now."

While he hopes he's wrong, the former VP told us he's concerned the court will now tip completely to the right. 

Ginsburg leaves behind a titanic legacy.

Seen as an advocate of equality and a champion for the unheard, she led a lifetime of courage honored across the socio-political sphere Friday evening into Saturday.

Her passing leaves behind questions as to her successor, with President Trump signaling on Saturday his wishes for the Republican-led U.S. Senate to speedily consider his upcoming nomination pick. 

Tensions are still ripe after the then Republican-controlled senate bucked former U.S. President Barrack Obama's Supreme Court pick of Merrick Garland, months out from the 2016 election. 

Obama's pick was denied a Senate vote under the pretext from Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that the country was too close to a major election that would ultimately see a Republican president seated in the White House.

Now with the roles reversed, with a Republican president in office, and mere weeks before a major presidential election, Senate Majority Leader McConnell has vowed to put whoever Trump nominates to a vote on the Senate Floor. 

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