A picture is worth a thousand words.

[Kajsa]

Obama back in Hawaii to see ailing grandmother

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama arrived in Honolulu last night for a brief, hastily arranged visit with his maternal grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, whose health is deteriorating.


Obama touched down at Honolulu International Airport in his private campaign plane about 7:15 p.m. and went straight to his grandmother's Makiki apartment, where they met privately for about an hour.

His motorcade then took him to the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, where he is staying. Obama is scheduled to leave Honolulu about 5 p.m. today and resume his campaign tomorrow in the battleground state of Nevada.

The Hawai'i-born Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois, did not make a statement to reporters about the visit or about his plans in Honolulu.

The detour during the critical last two weeks of the campaign was so Obama could see his beloved grandmother "Toot," who has been in poor health after she fell and broke her hip earlier this month.

Dunham, who turns 86 on Sunday, suffers from osteoporosis that has limited her mobility and largely confined her to her 10th-floor, two-bedroom apartment where she helped raise Obama.

About 50 people gathered in front of the apartment building and across South Beretania Street in front of Central Union Church hoping to catch a glimpse of the Democratic presidential candidate.

Chaminade graduate students John Walje IV and Kristin Geiling, both 24, didn't see Obama but the candidate's stopover left an impression nonetheless.

"Coming here put me over on his side," said Walje, a Missouri native who lives in Mililani. "It's all about character and he doesn't want to make the same mistake twice. I didn't get a chance to see my dad before he passed away so it's something I can relate to."

Said Geiling, "I'm from Hawai'i and family is family here, so I respect it when a presidential candidate shows good character by pausing to come here (for a family matter). I typically vote Republican but this year that might change."

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20081024/NEWS05/810240360

My thoughts and prayers are with Obama, his grandmother and his family
at this time.

:(

[mscuedawg]

1. Praying for the Obama family....

:hug:

[closeupready]

2. Poor thing. I feel bad for both of them.

:(

[graywarrior]

3. Man, he is on such an emotional ride right now.

My heart goes out to him.

[ecstatic]

4. Aww...the look on his face made me frown :(

Hang in there Barack and Toot! :grouphug:

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Michelle just said Toot is doing better ... Barack just called her and

she told the crowd that.

[JimWis]

6. That's great. So glad to hear she is doing better.

[ellacott]

7. Wonderful

:)

[Kajsa]

8. That is wonderful news, Ichingcarpenter!

I just got back.

It's so good to hear that she is doing better!!

Thanks so much for sharing the good news!

:) :hi: :pals: