The 2007 McGovern Conference theme was "The '72 Presidential Campaign: A Living Legacy." Thirty-five years after one of the most one-sided defeats in American presidential electoral history, Senator George McGovern now stands as one of the most respected and revered public servants of our time.

His victorious opponent, President Richard Nixon, ultimately resigned in disgrace soon after the election but McGovern, his staffers, and campaign volunteers continue to shape our nation and the world's political landscape.

Scholars and panelists participating in the election-day conference explored and assessed the living legacy of the McGovern Presidential Campaign of 1972.

Presenters included Donald T. Critchlow, author of "The Conservative Ascendancy: How the GOP Right Made Political History," Bruce Miroff, author of "The Liberal's Moment: The McGovern Insurgency and the Identity Crisis of the Democratic Party," Curtis Austin, author of "Up Against the Wall: Violence in the Making and Unmaking of the Black Panther Party," and James Armstrong, author of "Feet of Clay on Solid Ground."