Obama Campaign Statement on Canceling Events to Visit His Grandmother

The campaign released the following statement:

"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, she raised him in Hawaii from the time he was born until the moment he left for college. As he said at the Democratic Convention, she poured everything she had into him. 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 Senator Obama has decided to change his schedule on Thursday and Friday so that he can see her and spend some time with her. He will be returning to the campaign trail on Saturday."

Gibbs took a few questions after reading the statement.

"His grandmother right now is at home," he said. "She was released late last week from the hospital."

Michelle Obama will not travel to Hawaii with her husband. She will hold events in place of Obama in Akron, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio on Friday, the campaign said.

Gibbs, who said Obama speaks with his grandmother very frequently, did not expect the senator to make any public remarks on the matter. He declined to share the specifics of Dunham's medical condition, citing privacy reasons, and would say only that it was "very serious."

"The decision Sen. Obama is making to go to Hawaii I think underscores the seriousness of the situation," he added.

The campaign said Obama would campaign in the West on Saturday, though they have not yet released any more information.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/10/20/1573638.aspx

So sad.

all right. It's so good that Obama gets to go back and be with his Grandmother "Toot" while he still can.

I would hope she would live to see her grandson become president.

So she can at least hold on long enough to see her grandson elected President.

May Huna, Maui, and Pele bless you, Grandmother.

That's my feeling, at least. It's an extremely touching gesture, however one looks at it.

My prayers go out to her

to live long enough to witness an important event in their life. It will be interesting if Obama's grandmother lives until the election. Make a note of my post and we can talk about it the day after the election.

She said that Obama had regretted not being at his mother's bedside when she died, so of course he has to go see his grandmother. Another panelist (radio host, forget his name) said "I was raised by my grandparents. So believe me when I say, Obama HAS to go see his grandmother."