On January 18,1971 South Dakota Senator George McGovern announced his candidacy for President of The United States of America.

It wouldn't happen.

Historians can give you several reasons for the defeat.  Considered by many too liberal, McGovern also had the uphill task of trying to unseat an incumbent president, Richard Nixon (what transpired in the Nixon presidency following the election is a story for another day).  The fact that his Vice Presidential running mate was forced to leave the ticket certainly didn't help.

But the fact remains: George McGovern lost that 1972 election in an historic landslide defeat, 61%-37%, losing the electoral vote 520-17.  The only state McGovern carried was Massachusetts (along with the District of Columbia).

In this historic news clip, the Senator concedes the election from a stage in Sioux Falls.

More From KXRB