Former Vice President Mondale hospitalized with flu

Jan. 6, 2015: Former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale arrives to witness the first day of the 114th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Reuters)

MINNEAPOLIS – Former Vice President Walter Mondale is hospitalized with the flu.

Mondale was supposed to introduce former President Jimmy Carter Friday at the annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum.

Instead, Carter told the crowd that his former vice president was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Carter said Mondale had gone to the hospital for a routine check-up and was admitted after doctors discovered he had the flu.

Carter said he spoke with the 87-year-old and Mondale told him to tell everyone that he's doing well.

Messages left Friday with the Mayo Clinic and with Mondale's son Ted were not immediately returned to The Associated Press.

In addition to serving as vice president, Mondale was a U.S. senator and ambassador to Japan. He unsuccessfully ran for president against Ronald Reagan in 1984.