There are honorary consuls and honorary consuls general, and the former Vice President served as honorary consul general of Norway in Minnesota from 2008-2010. Since I’ve long argued that correct terminology is the basis for any dialogue, I was quite gratified when the Star Tribune (of the Twin Cities) properly identified Mr. Mondale in a story where the fact of his consular status was highly relevant.

Saying that it would have been sufficient for the paper to call him honorary consul ignores the fact that there are degrees of consular titles, with consuls general on the top tier followed by consuls and then vice consuls. Mr. Mondale deserves the honor of being called by the correct consular title and that’s why I was so thrilled to see one member of the media (Randy Furst) getting it right.