George McGovern, 1922-2012

Former Sen. George McGovern, the three-time Democratic presidential candidate who won his party's nomination in 1972, died Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, at the age of 90. A family spokesman said he passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and life-long friends. In this 1972 file photo, McGovern speaks to the drug and hospital union delegate assembly, local 1199 at the National Maritime Union Hall in New York.

George McGovern represented his home state of South Dakota for more than 20 years, first in the House of Representatives and then in the Senate, and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination three times - in 1968, 1972 and 1984. McGovern secured his party's nomination in 1972, but lost to President Richard Nixon in a historic landslide. According to a family spokesperson, McGovern died Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, at a hospice in Sioux Falls, surrounded by family and friends. In this Aug. 12, 1968 file photo, McGovern waves on his arrival to New York.

Before entering politics, McGovern flew 35 combat missions as a B-24 bomber pilot during World War II. In this undated file photo, Sen. George McGovern sits in the cockpit of a training plane.

This 1944 file photo provided by the McGovern family shows George McGovern when he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

In this June 1960 file photo, U.S. Rep. George McGovern, joined Sen. John F. Kennedy on the campaign trail in Sioux Falls, S.D.

In this Jan. 24, 1961 file photo, President John F. Kennedy talks with George McGovern, right, a special presidential assistant who was also the director of the Food for Peace program, at the White House in Washington. McGovern was tapped by three presidents to represent the U.S. at the United Nations on issues ranging from disarmament to world hunger. McGovern was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000 and the World Food Prize in 2008.

In this Aug. 23, 1970 file photo, Sens. George McGovern, D-S.D. left, and Robert Dole, R-Kan., are interviewed on ABC's "Issues and Answers" in Washington. In 2002, McGovern launched a program with Dole to provide education and food to poor children in the U.S. and around the world.

In this photo taken May 28, 1972, U.S. Sen. George McGovern is shown on CBS News' "Face the Nation."

This Aug. 8, 1972 file photo shows Sen. George McGovern, right, and R. Sargent Shriver in Washington after the Democratic National Committee endorsed Shriver as the new vice presidential nominee.

In this Oct. 31, 1972 file photo, Sen. George McGovern holds up the hand of his wife Eleanor and announced to the crowd gathered in downtown Syracuse that it was their 29th wedding anniversary.

In this March 25, 1974 file photo, U.S. Senator George McGovern, looks out an airplane window on a flight to Pierre, S.D., to begin a four-day campaign swing.

In this Feb. 23, 1984 file photo, Rev. Jesse Jackson, left, and former Sen. George McGovern both gesture during the Democratic presidential debate in Manchester, N.H. McGovern stayed active until the end, backing then-Sen. Barack Obama in the 2008 election.

In this March 25, 1974 file photo, Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota listens to constituents as he arrives at the Pierre, S.D., airport.

In this April 18, 2009 file photo, former Sen. George McGovern delivers remarks at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

In this Jan. 22, 2011 file photo, former Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. George McGovern arrives for the funeral Mass for R. Sargent Shriver at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Potomac, Md.