Obama's Grandmother passes away

[Kodiak]

Link from here

(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died following a bout with cancer, Obama and his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, said Monday.

She was 86.

"She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility," their statement said.

"She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure."

Obama and Soetoro-Ng asked that donations be made for the search for a cure for cancer in lieu of flowers. A small private ceremony will be held "at a later date."

Dunham passed away peacefully at her home shortly before midnight Sunday night (5 a.m. ET), campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki told CNN. She said Obama learned of her death around 8 a.m.

The Democratic presidential candidate left the campaign trail on October 23 and flew to Honolulu, Hawaii, to spend the day with Dunham, whose health deteriorated after she suffered a broken hip.

His wife, Michelle Obama, filled in for him at events in Columbus and Akron, Ohio, on October 24.

Obama said in an interview taped for that day's "Good Morning America" that Dunham had been "inundated" with flowers and messages from strangers who read about her in Obama's 1995 book, "Dreams From My Father."

"Maybe she is getting a sense of long-deserved recognition toward the end of her life," he said.

The candidate resumed his campaign on October 25.

Obama has spoken about his grandmother often on the stump, talking about what an integral figure she was in his youth and how she struggled against the glass ceiling in her career. He and his family traveled to Hawaii in August to visit her.

"She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life," he said in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. "She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well."

Sad that she was 48 hours away from seeing her grandson elected president. I hope the media steers clear of its usual "commentary" and "impact"

[Bounty]

At least he recently got to spend time with her before she passed away.

[DaveJB]

Tragic that she never got to see her grandson become the first black President, but at least she saw him do 99% of the work he needed to get there.

[Patrick Degan]

If only she could have hung on another 48 hours...

[Mr Bean]

Sad day for him.

Reposted from the other thread

Oh boy... When they want to look like total assholes, they go all the way.

The story

California GOP Files FEC Complaint Over Obama Visit to Grandmother

By Matthew Mosk
Perhaps the most ill-timed press release of the 2008 campaign arrived shortly after 1:30 p.m. today, sent by the Republican National Committee.

The release forwarded word that the California Republican Party filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, in part because of a visit Sen. Barack Obama made to his dying grandmother.

"Obama for America violated federal law by converting its campaign funds to Senator Obama's personal use," the release stated. "Senator Obama recently traveled to Hawaii to visit his sick grandmother. This was the right thing for any grandson to do -- at his own expense -- but it was not travel that his campaign may fund."

At issue was whether the trip should have been paid for with campaign funds, based on the law that forbids candidates from using such funds to pay for personal travel. The Obama campaign said the trip had been vetted with lawyers beforehand and was allowable. The Republicans argued that, because Obama did not campaign during the quick journey to Hawaii, it should not have been a campaign expense.

But filing the complaint today now seems to have been ill-advised, if not legally, then certainly politically.

Obama and his sister released a statement this afternoon announcing that their grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, died peacefully after a battle with cancer.

Yeah, no part of this news is good for anyone. The Republicans look like the heartless bastards they are. Obama loses his dear old grandmother.

Poor old girl she tried

[Metatwaddle]

Sad that she was 48 hours away from seeing her grandson elected president. I hope the media steers clear of its usual "commentary" and "impact"

That'd be nice, wouldn't it? Unfortunately I doubt it'll happen. Pat Buchanan will probably be on the Rachel Maddow show tonight saying how much this helps Obama, or something. The "chattering class" (I can't remember who came up with that term) is always great for analyzing the political implications of personal tragedies, whether it's people losing their jobs or their family members.

[Aratech]

...

Poor woman. I'll echo the sentiments of this thread, but this kinda hits home for me. My own grandma died from cancer.


To the members of the California GOP, I have only this to say:

[JME2]

...

Poor woman. I'll echo the sentiments of this thread, but this kinda hits home for me. My own grandma died from cancer.

As did mine; Obama has my sympathy. And I knew the GOP was undoubtedly going to spin it in their favor, but it doesn't make me any less angry with them, especially as its my home state's branch.

[Aratech]

...

Poor woman. I'll echo the sentiments of this thread, but this kinda hits home for me. My own grandma died from cancer.

As did mine; Obama has my sympathy. And I knew the GOP was undoubtedly going to spin it in their favor, but it doesn't make me any less angry with them, especially as its my home state's branch.

It isn't just the GOP talking heads and pudnits. The fucktard supporters are coming out of the woodworks too. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQNVDjlKAKo

God, people like that piss me off.

[Thanas]

Obama speeks about his deceased grandmother.

Worth watching.

[Havok]

Fuck cancer.

I'm sorry his Grandmother didn't make it just a few more days. I'm sure she was already as proud of him as anyone could be, but it would have been nice for her to see or hear his possible acceptance speech.

[Qwerty 42]

My condolences to the Obama family.

From a purely strategic perspective, it won't harm the campaign for Obama to leave the trail this late in the game.

Even though she can't be here to see it, I'm sure she would have been proud to see the man she raised accept the presidency tomorrow night.

[ray245]

...

Poor woman. I'll echo the sentiments of this thread, but this kinda hits home for me. My own grandma died from cancer.

As did mine; Obama has my sympathy. And I knew the GOP was undoubtedly going to spin it in their favor, but it doesn't make me any less angry with them, especially as its my home state's branch.

It isn't just the GOP talking heads and pudnits. The fucktard supporters are coming out of the woodworks too. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQNVDjlKAKo

God, people like that piss me off.

You think that the republicans will stop there? Please, sooner or later, they will start and question the TIMING of her death, and say it is a consipery theory or something. Yes, I think that the republicans is willingly to sink to THAT level.

[Schuyler Colfax]

That really does suck. My condolences go out to the Obama family.

Why is there a McCain add at the bottom of this thread?

[The Romulan Republic]

You think that the republicans will stop there? Please, sooner or later, they will start and question the TIMING of her death, and say it is a consipery theory or something. Yes, I think that the republicans is willingly to sink to THAT level.

If they do, I hope Obama just slaps them with a lawsuit. I doubt that would be politically disastrous once the campaign's over.

[PeZook]

You know, I'd love to be able to lay on my death bed thinking that one of my grandsons went this far. In a way, I envy her.

Not that it still doesn't suck, though. This must be hard for Obama...

[ray245]

You know, I'd love to be able to lay on my death bed thinking that one of my grandsons went this far. In a way, I envy her.

Not that it still doesn't suck, though. This must be hard for Obama...

It is so ironic, that Obama, one of the best candidate I have seen in my lifetime, experienced the sadness of seeing all your parents and grandparents passing away before you become the president, while Bush has the luck of a father being around to help and advise him in politics( I doubt that those advice are useful though) .

[Elfdart]

You think that the republicans will stop there? Please, sooner or later, they will start and question the TIMING of her death, and say it is a consipery theory or something. Yes, I think that the republicans is willingly to sink to THAT level.

You called it.

[General Zod]

You think that the republicans will stop there? Please, sooner or later, they will start and question the TIMING of her death, and say it is a consipery theory or something. Yes, I think that the republicans is willingly to sink to THAT level.

You called it.

Without knowledge of the site in question, I'd wager that poster was being facetious.

[Elfdart]

The site I linked to (Sadly No!) is a satirical web site, but the batshit insanity they linked to (from Free Republic) is real.

[ray245]

This idiot posted this comment as well, on SB.com. Seriously, I am freaking depressed that people like him are even allowed to post on that forum.

Is it really cynical of me to think that she actually died a week ago and they're only revealing it now to generate sympathy?

BYE

[ArcturusMengsk]

This idiot posted this comment as well, on SB.com. Seriously, I am freaking depressed that people like him are even allowed to post on that forum.

Is it really cynical of me to think that she actually died a week ago and they're only revealing it now to generate sympathy?

BYE

Spacebattles is full of nitwits. It is owned by a nitwit; it is operated by nitwits. It's always been the haven of psychological weaklings like EmpSolo. Why bother?

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

The McCain voters sitting behind me in the Engineering lab brought up the issue a while ago and mentioned that the timing was "convenient".

[Aratech]

Obama speeks about his deceased grandmother.

Worth watching.

Indeed. Shame about ll the detractors coming out of the wood works.

[Panzer Grenadier]

Wasn't she the racist bitch who obama said was afraid of black people?