Obama's grandmother gravely ill

[Durandal]

Obama Leaving Campaign Trail To Be With His Sick Grandmother

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is canceling nearly all his campaign events Thursday and Friday to fly to Hawaii to visit his suddenly gravely ill 85-year-old grandmother, his communications director said.

Robert Gibbs told reporters aboard Obama's plane that Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, who helped raise him, was released from the hospital late last week. But he said her health had deteriorated "to the point where her situation is very serious."

Events originally planned for Madison, Wis., and Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday will be replaced with one in Indianapolis before he makes the long flight to Hawaii. On Friday, Obama's wife, Michelle, will sub for Obama at rallies in Akron and Columbus, in Ohio, said campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki. Obama was expected to resume campaigning on Saturday, at an undecided location in the West, she said.

"Senator Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has always been one of the most important people in his life, along with his mother and his grandfather," Gibbs said. "Recently his grandmother has become ill and in the last few weeks her health has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious. It is for that reason that Sen. Obama has decided to change his schedule on Thursday and Friday so that he can see her and spend some time with her."

Citing the family's desire for privacy, Gibbs would not discuss the nature of Dunham's illness. It seemed likely that she was close to death, as Gibbs said that "everyone understands the decision that Sen. Obama is making."

It could be a momentous one in his bid for the White House against Republican John McCain, with Election Day just two weeks away on Nov. 4.

In a campaign ad this year, Obama described his Dunham as the daughter of a Midwest oil company clerk who "taught me values straight from the Kansas heartland" _ things like "accountability and self-reliance. Love of country. Working hard without making excuses. Treating your neighbor as you'd like to be treated."

She's also the "white grandmother" he referred to in a speech on race.

Obama last visited Hawaii in August, when he spent a week on vacation after he had clinched the Democratic presidential nomination.

Poor guy. On top of all the stress involved in running for president, he has to watch his grandmother die. Wonder how the Republicans will try and exploit this.

[Ypoknons]

Not just some grandma, but the grandma who raised him while his mother was away. Ouch.

[ArcturusMengsk]

Poor guy. On top of all the stress involved in running for president, he has to watch his grandmother die. Wonder how the Republicans will try and exploit this.

Let them try it. The backlash in the form of a sympathy vote alone would be enough to put Obama firmly in the White House.

[ArcturusMengsk]

Ghetto edit: I hate to be a cold, political bastard about it, but this might actually be a plus for Obama as far as campaigning goes: it captures a news cycle and reminds racially-motivated voters that, yes, Obama is half-white, too.

[Masami von Weizegger]

Ghetto edit: I hate to be a cold, political bastard about it, but this might actually be a plus for Obama as far as campaigning goes: it captures a news cycle and reminds racially-motivated voters that, yes, Obama is half-white, too.

On the whole, I don't think, er, "racially-motivated voters" would give a damn if Obama is half-white. Milk in the coffee pot and all that.

I am sure that some of the more heartless members of the Republican Party will feel that Obama will be making a show of it for an extra sympathy vote but I doubt anyone will come out and say it in anything approaching an official (or likely even recordable) situation. Perhaps the right-wing blogs will be rife with that sort of thinking.

[Anguirus]

I expect Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity will compare it unfavorably with McCain's attempt to cease his campaign to "save the country."

I have no respect for these men as human beings, which should be obvious.

[Broomstick]

The Obama-haters will say he's abandoning his responsibilities to deal with personal issues or some such, implying he won't put the country first or some such.

But, you know, nothing bad is going to happen because Obama goes to the bedside of his ailing grandmother, and in fact it's a very nice display of those "family values" the GOP is always crowing about - oh, wait, Obama is a democrat.

[SCRawl]

My first politically related thought was that the GOP would be irked that this happened. I mean, how can you really exploit a dying grandmother story? For my money, it can only be a positive in terms of spin, and the GOP would be well advised to stay clear other than a "our thoughts are with the Obama family" blurb.

[KlavoHunter]

Aw, damn, he was gonna be in town here on Thursday.

[Solauren]

If the Republican's have any class (and brains), they'd issue a public statement of sympathy, and offer to suspend there own activities while Obama is with his grandmother. That could actually work in their favor.

Fortunately, the Republicians lack these attributes, so that's not a worry.

However, best wishes to Mr. Barack. No one should have to watch a family member they have a close attachement to suffer and die, especially while under the stress he must be at this time.

[Lord MJ]

McCain supporters (or anti-Obama) on Digg are already crying hypocrisy that McCain suspended his campaign for millions of people and he was blasted, while Obama suspends his campaign for one person and it's perfectly fine .

[Kodiak]

McCain supporters (or anti-Obama) on Digg are already crying hypocrisy that McCain suspended his campaign for millions of people and he was blasted, while Obama suspends his campaign for one person and it's perfectly fine .

Holy fuck, that's probably the worst thing they could do- it highlights the sincerity of Obama's suspension and the gimicky nature of McCain's suspension. Obama could leave his campaign stalled for 2 weeks while he spends time w/ his grandmother during her last days, and every day would be positive press for Barry and negative contrasts for McCain. I can't imagine the public outpouring of sympathy if, heaven forbid, she passes away before the election; it would be a huge PR boost as long as Obama downplayed the media. As soon as either camp tries to exploit this they'll be crucified.

[Mayabird]

The Obama-haters will say he's abandoning his responsibilities to deal with personal issues or some such, implying he won't put the country first or some such.

Of course, if Obama's fairy godmother gave him a magic amulet that made everyone love him, they'd still hate him. They're just those types of people.

The question for me is, is there anyone in this country who's going to vote who still hasn't decided yet? Is anyone actually still at the point where they can be swayed? This campaigning has gone on for over a year now, and a lot of people have already voted (including myself; I mailed off the ballot yesterday).

[CmdrWilkens]

There are still undecideds. If we take the Pollster.com composite with Third Parties in it the split is roughly Obama 50 McCain 40 and Nader/Barr/McKinny with 1 each. That would leave roughly 7% undecided at this point and it probably isn't too far off. The polls with tigher Likely voter screens will continue knocking off people who are undecided to the point they won't go to the polls and the undecideds will drop though always the margin of error means that there should be a good 3-4% even within the poll who are swayable. The thing is with Obama polling consistently above 50 these days and the third parties stealing a share of the electorate even a massive late break towards McCain by undeicdeds would still leave us with an Obama lead. If they broke 1-6 O/M then the eleciton would be 51-46-1-1-1.


Anyway back to the OP neither campaign is going to suspend themselves (Biden and Michelle Obama will still be on the trail and Michelle is supposedly picking up several of Barack's events until early next week). That said so long as Obama keeps the media at arms length and doesn't try to make hay out of this visit one can almost bet that some semi-prominent republican will get themselves on YouTube claiming it is a stunt. Then Biden and the rest of the Home Team can pounce on McCain for associating with any such person to force either a denunciation or another slippery half-denial that will chip away at McCain's favorables even more.

[The Spartan]

McCain supporters (or anti-Obama) on Digg are already crying hypocrisy that McCain suspended his campaign for millions of people and he was blasted, while Obama suspends his campaign for one person and it's perfectly fine .

While I'm hardly surprised at this, I think it would be very dangerous for the campaign to openly criticize Obama for doing this even if they had because, well, who can't sympathize with wanting to be with a close family member in what may very well be their final days? Even when it's a politician looking to be the top dog?

[Lord of the Abyss]

Poor guy. On top of all the stress involved in running for president, he has to watch his grandmother die. Wonder how the Republicans will try and exploit this.

Let them try it.

Annnnnnd, they ARE !

Republican strategist Brad Blakeman, responding to a question about how John McCain could square his opposition to wasteful spending with the RNC shelling out over $150,000 on clothes and accessories for Sarah Palin, said that the real outrage is Barack Obama "taking a 767 campaign plane to go visit Grandma." This is the same grandmother who raised Obama and who is very seriously ill. Blakeman continued, "Forget about the energy that is wasted, what about the hundreds of thousands of dollars to take a private trip when this guy should be humping his bags on a commercial plane or taking a smaller plane. Taking a 767 of campaign money from people who could least afford it is more of an outrage in my opinion." Anchor David Schuster, laughing, replied, "That is one of the most valiant tries I have ever seen in this entire debate about Sarah Palin's clothing allowance."

There's a link to the MSNBC footage.

[Patrick Degan]

McCain supporters (or anti-Obama) on Digg are already crying hypocrisy that McCain suspended his campaign for millions of people and he was blasted, while Obama suspends his campaign for one person and it's perfectly fine .

While I'm hardly surprised at this, I think it would be very dangerous for the campaign to openly criticize Obama for doing this even if they had because, well, who can't sympathize with wanting to be with a close family member in what may very well be their final days? Even when it's a politician looking to be the top dog?

You can bet Rush's loyal DittoBorg couldn't spare even the smallest quantum of sympathy for Obama's situation.

[Flagg]

McCain supporters (or anti-Obama) on Digg are already crying hypocrisy that McCain suspended his campaign for millions of people and he was blasted, while Obama suspends his campaign for one person and it's perfectly fine .

McCain never actually suspended his campaign. That was the fucking problem.

[Pulp Hero]

To those who called on McCain supporter trying to spin this against Obama, the local radio talk show Walton & Johnston (based out of Texas, I believe) was going on about the issue this morning with such choice quotes as, "Just trying to remind us he's part white" and "Weak". Yeah, these guys are fucktards- AND the only morning talk show in the area.

[The Spartan]

You can bet Rush's loyal DittoBorg couldn't spare even the smallest quantum of sympathy for Obama's situation.

Yeah but you could argue that they're hardly people.

To those who called on McCain supporter trying to spin this against Obama, the local radio talk show Walton & Johnston (based out of Texas, I believe) was going on about the issue this morning with such choice quotes as, "Just trying to remind us he's part white" and "Weak". Yeah, these guys are fucktards- AND the only morning talk show in the area.

Yeah I stopped listening to the "rock" station here in Houston because of them. When it went under I think they moved to one of the AM stations. At least, that's what I got from a billboard I saw.

Fuckheads the both of them. I tune into a rock station to hear music and they interrupt "All Along the Watchtower" to mock the lyrics and then go off on a rant about "oh noes teh libberlz!" Yeah. Houston radio sucks.

[Pulp Hero]

Nope they're still on FM (95.7).

[Molyneux]

Losing a grandparent is never easy...and I can't even think how he must be feeling right now. I just hope that he gets at least a couple more weeks with her.

[Patrick Degan]

To those who called on McCain supporter trying to spin this against Obama, the local radio talk show Walton & Johnston (based out of Texas, I believe) was going on about the issue this morning with such choice quotes as, "Just trying to remind us he's part white" and "Weak". Yeah, these guys are fucktards- AND the only morning talk show in the area.

I remember those two assholes from New Orleans. Finally got their asses airmailed off their host radio station for a rape joke.