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Nixon's Daughters Issue Statement Following McGovern's Death

YORBA LINDA (CBS/AP) — The daughters of the man who beat George McGovern in the 1972 presidential election are remembering the former U.S. senator as man with a deep love for the country and a commitment to the American people.

In a statement released by the Richard Nixon Foundation in Yorba Linda, Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower expressed their condolences following his passing.

"Although he and our father were political rivals, they had much in common: a deep love of country; an abiding passion for the issues about which they cared; an unwavering commitment to serve the American people," the statement said.

"Over the course of his long and productive career, George McGovern earned the respect of Americans around the country and across the political spectrum. We extend to his family and friends our deepest sympathy," the statement added.

Their father, Richard Nixon, beat McGovern for a second term as president in 1972 in one of the biggest landslides in modern history.

McGovern, surrounded by his family, died Sunday at a hospice in his native South Dakota. The three-term senator and anti-war advocate was 90.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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