- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
Obama Says Ailing Grandmother 'Inundated' With Well-Wishes
Email
ShareOctober 23, 2008 3:27 PM
ABC News' Robin Roberts reports: Barack Obama said his ailing grandmother has been "inundated" with get-well wishes from strangers since he announced that he is leaving the campaign trail for a day to spend time with her.
Obama is flying to Honolulu, Hawaii today to visit his grandmother Madelyn Dunham, 85, who is gravely ill.
"She has been inundated with phone calls and e-mails and flowers from total strangers who have read about her in my first book," Obama said in an interview airing Friday on "Good Morning America."
"And so maybe she is getting a sense of, of long-deserved recognition at -- towards the end of her life," Obama told "GMA" in his last interview before leaving his campaign for over 36 hours.
Watch Barack Obama's interview with ABC's Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" Friday at 7 a.m. EST
Obama's grandmother is very ill and recently suffered a broken hip.
The Obama campaign has declined to specify the nature of her illness, but has said it is quite serious.
Dunham raised Obama during his teenage years in Hawaii while his mother worked in Indonesia.
Obama has spoken of her often during the campaign, most notably during a speech on race in March when he said he could no more disown Rev. Jeremiah Wright for his controversial comments than his grandmother. Obama has said his grandmother, who is white and from Kansas, "on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe."
Obama, who is leading McCain 54-43 in the latest ABC News/Washington Post daily tracking poll, is taking time off the campaign trail with just over a week to go before Election Day.
When asked about McCain's remark today that Obama would "say anything to get elected," Obama argued his own campaign has been less negative.
"I don't wanna get into a tit for tat with Senator McCain," Obama told Roberts, "I think it's fair to say that if you look at the quality of our campaign and theirs, who's been more consistent? Who has been more civil? Who's talked about the issues as opposed to trying to attack people's character? I think we get a pretty good grade."
October 23, 2008 in Obama, Barack | Permalink | User Comments (546)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Classy as always. Congrats Senator Obama and best to your grandma.
Posted by: dem in chicago | Oct 23, 2008 3:47:30 PM
Yes, he is as classy as always. There's a lot to admire about Obama. Best wishes to Grandma - hope she feels better soon.
Posted by: BJs65 | Oct 23, 2008 3:51:06 PM
dem in chicago,
I don't know about classy as I am hesitant to believe politicians. However most people can clearly identify the more negative campaign in this series. It has clearly been the McCain's. Well, I guess in a little over a week we'll know the verdict as to whether this nation can reject the sleaziness.
Posted by: D | Oct 23, 2008 3:52:06 PM
Truly Obama will be a great leader. Prayers and best wishes for his granmother.
Posted by: Dave in VA - REAL VA! | Oct 23, 2008 3:52:23 PM
I pray for you and your grandmother. You are one classy guy. Definitely Presidential material.
Posted by: seenitallx9 | Oct 23, 2008 3:52:24 PM
Get Well Soon Grandma!
Posted by: Angie | Oct 23, 2008 3:52:33 PM
Take care of GrandMa Barack!!!
Don't even think about that clown McCain and that nitwit Palin.
Joe, Hillary, Michelle and Bill got your back.
Posted by: Order | Oct 23, 2008 3:52:35 PM
Me ke aloha nui loa, Tutu!
Posted by: Joe V | Oct 23, 2008 3:53:18 PM
Obama is dong the right thing by visiting his ailing grandmom. Obama has his priorities right, Family First! God bless you and may your grandmom have a speedy recovery.
Posted by: Sheila of New Jersey | Oct 23, 2008 3:53:35 PM
Yes, classy as always. He has run his campaign effectively without stooping to personal attacks. The McCain campaign has become a joke. I hope the Obama's enjoy the time they are going to spend with their family- and come back ready to take the election.
Posted by: bdids | Oct 23, 2008 3:53:46 PM
As ever the honest, humble, class act.
Electing Barack Obama will be one of the proudest moments this country will ever experience.
Best to you and your Grandma!
Posted by: Amber - Obama Mama | Oct 23, 2008 3:54:11 PM
White Grandma? WHAT? Not cool.
Posted by: dashawn | Oct 23, 2008 3:55:23 PM
Grandma did a good job raising that boy. He grew into an awesome man:-)
Posted by: Sarah Who? | Oct 23, 2008 3:55:29 PM
Yup Barack is a class act, and an inspiration. I hope your Grandma lives to see a dream come true. She is in me and my family prayers.
Posted by: tony | Oct 23, 2008 3:55:47 PM
Up with black, down with white. Takin it to the house!
Posted by: dashawn | Oct 23, 2008 3:56:29 PM
This says more about his character and values than any distant past associations he may have had. He puts his campaign for President of the United States on hold, a week before the election, to be with his grandmother. Values? Those are values. They are seen in what you do. Good for him. I hope for all of our sakes this good man is our next President.
Posted by: Gail | Oct 23, 2008 3:56:34 PM
Get well soon America's Grandma !!!
Posted by: ObamaFan | Oct 23, 2008 3:57:11 PM
Dear senator I wish youre grandmother a very speddy recovery and also the very best wishes in your campaign to become the next president of the United States Of America and i know that the next time i write to you i will be sending a personal congratulations to you as President.Desy.
Posted by: desy baker | Oct 23, 2008 3:57:24 PM
Mungu yupo, Barack!
Posted by: Joe V | Oct 23, 2008 3:57:24 PM
Get well soon Grandmom Dunham.
Senator Obama, I voted for you yesterday. :-)
Posted by: June in Oregon | Oct 23, 2008 3:58:08 PM
Post a comment
