SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — George McGovern wore the badge of an unapologetic liberal in life, but in death, he brought together admirers that spanned the political spectrum.
McGovern, who died Sunday at age 90, will be remembered as a public servant with broader appeal during a service Friday in South Dakota.
A large memorial service was to follow a more intimate prayer service held Thursday night and attended by the state's luminaries and Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden and McGovern served together in the Senate. The vice president hailed McGovern as "the father of the modern Democratic Party." Biden said that without McGovern's resolve, the country would have remained mired in the Vietnam War longer.
The ceremony also featured heartfelt tributes by McGovern family members, longtime friends and political loyalists.
