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Emotional Obama Pays Tribute to Grandmother
November 03, 2008 7:45 PM
CHARLOTTE, NC -- Before a crowd of 25,000 at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte Monday evening, an emotional Barack Obama mentioned the grandmother who helped raise him, Madelyn Dunham, who died last night in Hawaii.
Saying this was a "bittersweet time for me," the Illinois senator said, per ABC News' Sunlen Miller. "We have had a remarkable campaign…No matter what happens tomorrow, I'm gonna feel good about how it's turned out because all of you have created this incredible campaign."
"Some of you heard that my grandmother, who helped raise me, passed away early this morning," he said. "And look, she is going home. And she died peacefully in her sleep with my sister at her side, and so there is great joy as well as tears."
"I'm not going to talk about it too long, because it's hard a little to talk about," he said, nearly choking up.
"I want everyone to know though a little bit about her," he continued. "Her name was Madelyn Dunham and she was born in Kansas in a small town in 1922. Which means that she lived through the Great Depression, she lived through two World Wars. She watched her husband go off to war while she looked after her baby and worked on a bomber assembly line."
Often when we lose someone, we feel the need to talk about them, even with strangers. It helps fill the vacuum. That seemed to be what Obama was going through.
"When her husband came back, they benefited from the G.I. Bill and – they moved West and eventually ended up in Hawaii," he said. "And she was somebody who was a very humble person and a very plainspoken person. She's one of those quiet heroes that we have all across America who – they're not famous, their names aren't in the newspapers, but each and every day they work hard. They look after their families. They sacrifice for their children and their grandchildren. They aren't seeking the limelight. All they try to do is do the right thing.
"And in this crowd there are a lot of quiet heroes like that," he said. "Mothers and fathers and grandparents who have worked hard and sacrificed all their lives and the satisfaction that they get is seeing that their children and maybe their grandchildren and their great grandchildren live a better life than they did. That's what America's about. That's what we're fighting for."
Obama also mentioned a condolence message issued earlier in the day from John and Cindy McCain.
"They were extraordinarily gracious, I want to thank them for that," he said. "Just as I want to thank everybody else whose been praying for us and supporting our family during this difficult time. And it's an incredibly gracious of Sen. McCain and its an example that Sen. McCain has continued to serve his country honorably."
Then he went into his criticisms of McCain's economic policies.
It was the most emotional and, well, human I've ever seen Sen. Obama, who can be affable but also can also have his coolness sometimes seem downright chilly.
-- jpt
November 3, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (88)
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She did one hellava job raising Obama
Obama 08!
Posted by: ronnie | Nov 3, 2008 11:26:01 PM
My heartfelt condolences to Senator Obama and his family.
Jake, I hope if you see him on the plane tonight, you'll shake his hand and express your sympathy without the thoughts in your last paragraph. That was at best unfortunate in the context.
Posted by: Jill Nikolaides | Nov 3, 2008 11:10:43 PM
Barack Obama is amazing.
Posted by: Kathy | Nov 3, 2008 11:10:39 PM
question you post: "Sam,
I don't know. Sometimes it is better to remember that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. I, on behalf of all Obama supporters, apologize from the bottom of my heart if you feel that we didn't treat McCain (even from afar) with proper kindness. It does not mean you should not be kind either.
I am sorry for unloading on here but this is an especially hard reminder to me as I lost my father a couple of months back. He was the most honest, hard-working man I ever knew and Obama's words about quiet heroes goes down to my bones! He never did anything but his work, from the crack of dawn up until late at night, all to take care of his children, never sought out any praise or admiration and I only got to spend about two decades with him. It is especially hard when you have always longed to one day make them proud and end up not getting the chance at the last minute. We think of the word 'hero' lightly but it really has a mountain of a meaning. Obama's grandmother was his hero, McCain is America's hero, my father was my hero.
Sam, sometimes it is just best to be kind to those who deserve kindness but never seek it out whether they have been kind to you or not or whether you have met them or not"
is one of the nicest and sincere commets i have read in a very long time THANK YOU!!!!
Posted by: sincere | Nov 3, 2008 10:38:39 PM
Sam,
I don't know. Sometimes it is better to remember that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. I, on behalf of all Obama supporters, apologize from the bottom of my heart if you feel that we didn't treat McCain (even from afar) with proper kindness. It does not mean you should not be kind either.
I am sorry for unloading on here but this is an especially hard reminder to me as I lost my father a couple of months back. He was the most honest, hard-working man I ever knew and Obama's words about quiet heroes goes down to my bones! He never did anything but his work, from the crack of dawn up until late at night, all to take care of his children, never sought out any praise or admiration and I only got to spend about two decades with him. It is especially hard when you have always longed to one day make them proud and end up not getting the chance at the last minute. We think of the word 'hero' lightly but it really has a mountain of a meaning. Obama's grandmother was his hero, McCain is America's hero, my father was my hero.
Sam, sometimes it is just best to be kind to those who deserve kindness but never seek it out whether they have been kind to you or not or whether you have met them or not.
Posted by: Question | Nov 3, 2008 10:25:54 PM
rick ruud
This is America. We are all Americans, and we are ALL voting for a true American. Get over it.
Posted by: jock59801 | Nov 3, 2008 10:25:13 PM
Sam - A lot of people pray for McCain. Other people attack him. People are people. I just wish McCain had been more himself during this campaign. He is a much better man than what his campaign staff turned him into.
Posted by: jock59801 | Nov 3, 2008 10:23:38 PM
Wade,
A true American hero doesn't claim a monopoly on patriotism and question a fellow American's patriotism, or insinuate that those who support his opponent are somehow less-then patriotic: "On Nov 4th, it's either Country First or Obama first." (John McCain, at a campaign stop)
"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." -Samuel Johnson.
Posted by: Grey Matter | Nov 3, 2008 10:12:04 PM
Tim, you have a point...to see a true American hero be called everything in the book, while another who is maybe just as sincere as he is about the love of his country is given pass after pass...I can't wait until this is over...
Posted by: Wade | Nov 3, 2008 10:06:16 PM
Of course, condolences...
Not a conspiracy, obviously.
But this guy has some lucky breaks in the melodrama dept.
Posted by: Wade | Nov 3, 2008 10:03:32 PM
Had to throw the barb at the end, right? Couldn't pull the punch.
Listen, I have personally survived being widowed at 29 (only 40 now), the death of both my parents, and the WTC on 9/11. I was raised as the oldest child to holdl my emotions in check, not to show them in public. It doesn't mean I don't feel. I means I don't show what I feel. To comment on his aloofness is one thing...why throw in the human? If you believe that one should be private in one's emotions and grief, then you are not human? Bad touch, Jake.
Posted by: gail | Nov 3, 2008 9:51:22 PM
When will people ever pray for McCain.
He has sons in the military.
When will the country ever pray for McCain.
McCain can't lift his arms up and yet is attacked in campaign spots.
I give up.
Posted by: Sam | Nov 3, 2008 9:49:51 PM
To Tim,
McCain had a son in iraq for seven months and no one felt sorry for him.
McCain can't move his arms up and he was attacked in a commercial for his war injuries.
I am so tired of this election.
I can't wait for this election to be over with.
Posted by: Sam | Nov 3, 2008 9:48:49 PM
McCain had a 19 year old son who was in Iraq for seven months.
He was getting political attacks when he was visiting his son.
Cindy McCain slept with a cell phone attached to her wrist for months.
Posted by: Jeff | Nov 3, 2008 9:42:37 PM
My condolences to the Obama family. Your grandmother knew that all of you would be okay. It's a hard time, but know that she is there, especially tomorrow. I'm praying for you.
Posted by: Debbie McLaughlin | Nov 3, 2008 9:37:36 PM
May God be with you,And your family.
Posted by: Curly | Nov 3, 2008 9:31:24 PM
It appears all the mean-spirited postings have been dumped and I say good riddance. This should be a time for reflection on the role Toot played in Obama's life and of prayer for his family. Go Obama!
Posted by: Colorado Dem | Nov 3, 2008 9:28:38 PM
It is tragic that she died. But if there was ever any doubt, her death, and his reaction clinched the deal.
Posted by: Tim | Nov 3, 2008 9:23:08 PM
She was indeed an Ameian heroine.
May her soul rest in peace.
Posted by: SJ Vettom | Nov 3, 2008 9:20:23 PM
I know the feeling for I lost my mom of 98yrs a couple of months back,
my condolences to the family.
Posted by: ld | Nov 3, 2008 9:19:35 PM
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