Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma

Subject: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Genie
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:44 PM

Barack Obama's grandmother, who was as important in raising him as his mother was, died today. Fortunately he got to visit her a week or so ago. So sad she couldn't hold out till tomorrow. (But in the unlikely event that he loses, it's probably good that she died while he appeared to be poised to win.)

G

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:48 PM

I am really glad he insisted on going to see her. Kudos to him for that and my condolences. I think she'll know, anyway, but I wish she had been able to be here for tomorrow.

kat

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: artbrooks
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:51 PM

As you both said.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Cllr
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:55 PM

thoughts are with him and his family especially when they are so exposed to public scrutiny (and i agree wholeheartedly with kat)
Cllr

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Bobert
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:57 PM

Wow, what a supreme bummer...

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Genie
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 05:05 PM

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/03/politics/main4567629.shtml

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 05:17 PM

Aw man, she was SO close to seeing the election! Bummer!

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 05:25 PM

She'll be watching. She'll be watching.

And if he IS elected he'd danged well better do a good job...she is now with She Who Watches.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Amos
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 05:39 PM

I am sorry he had to lose someone so close t him, especially just before her faith in him was about to be vindicated. But she has seen him do the impossible, and I am sure she died very happy in that respect. I hope she hangs around long enough to cheer after the election, even without a body.


A

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 06:54 PM

I suspect that if she'd had the choice, she might well have been content to die the day before the election, as a final gift that might just help swing some votes his way.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 07:07 PM

RIP
A great lady.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Folkiedave
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 07:26 PM

Shame.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 07:28 PM

Morgan and I were talking about this, today. I told him how excited I will be when he grows up and says to everyone, "and I went to my grandma's everyday and she helped make me who I am, today!" Just like Obama has said about his grandma. I told him I will be proud of him no matter what he chooses to do (well, since he's not quite five, we didn't get into qualifying that!:-) We looked at pictures of Obama with her and his granddad and talked about how old she was and how I will be here for a long while, yet. It's good to honour grandmas. Thanks, Mrs. Dunham, from grandmas everywhere...we dream, too.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 07:51 PM

She was here long enough to know that her pride & joy was probably going to win. He achieved, in her lifetime, so much.... partly in response to what she helped him feel & understand.

She did all she could, and is at rest.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 08:36 PM

"She did all she could" and now the rest is up to him, with the help of the rest of us!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Wincing Devil
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 09:09 PM

Let the conspiracy theories begin...

};-(

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 11:23 PM

Doesn't matter if she'll know. What matters is that she knew. A fine lady now without pain.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Genie
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 11:32 PM

Actually, WD, if there's any 'silver lining' to Mrs. Dunham's passing, I think it's that it makes those smear-mongers -- the ones who called his recent Hawaii trip a cheap campaign trick -- look like the scumbags they are.   The guy, quite understandably, takes time out from his campaign during a tightening race and close to election day, to visit the woman who was like a mother to him and was old and very seriously ill, and the let's-throw-everything-at-him-and-see-what-sticks crowd snicker and sneer and question the sincerity of his motives. Sheesh. I'm sorry that their ridiculous attack couldn't be totally exposed for the venomous idiocy it was without Mrs. Dunham's actually dying.   But I wonder if any of those people feel any shame.

G

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 11:38 PM

There's a really nice comment piece HERE.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 12:41 AM

Tears just add to his humanity for those who might have had some difficulty seeing it before.

What a difficult time to go through either of these events, but to have them occur at the same time is going to change the temperature of the day for he and his family. Like losing a loved one on christmas, the occasions will always be linked. It will put the campaign in a unique perspective.

SRS

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 11:36 AM

I really liked, and related to what he said about her:

"She was one of those quiet heroes that we have all across America, they're not famous, their names aren't in the newspaper, but each and every day they work hard, they look after their families, they sacrifice for their children and their grandchildren," he said.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 11:51 AM

But I wonder if any of those people feel any shame.

You think those kind of people actually know the meaning of the word?

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 11:54 AM

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: jeffp
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 01:15 PM

She did get the chance to vote for her grandson for President. And her vote will be counted. Hawaii allow votes to count even if the voter dies after sending the absentee ballot. Not all states do, but Hawaii is one of those that provides for that.

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 03:24 PM

California GOP Files FEC Complaint Over Obama Visit to Grandmother

"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."

Subject: RE: Obit: Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandma
From: kendall
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 04:26 PM

I don't believe that kind of person feels remorse, only pain when they don't get their way.