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Former Sen. George McGovern Enters Hospice; Was 1972 Democratic Nominee

Then-Sen. George McGovern in 1972, when he was running for president.
Keystone

Former South Dakota Sen. George McGovern, the Democratic Party's 1972 presidential nominee, has moved into a hospice care facility in Sioux Falls, his family and friends tell The Associated Press and other news outlets.

The 90-year-old World War II veteran is "coming to the end of his life," his daughter, Ann McGovern, tells the AP.

Details about his condition aren't yet publicly known. The Hill reminds us that McGovern "has had previous health issues, including exhaustion, difficulty speaking and occasionally passing out, according to reports."

In the 1972 race against President Nixon, McGovern lost everywhere except in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. Less than two years later, on Aug. 8, 1974, Nixon would resign from office — brought down by the Watergate break-in and coverup.

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Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.
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