Obama: "My Grandmother's The Last One Left"

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(INDIANAPOLIS) Barack Obama heads to Hawaii this afternoon to visit his beloved grandmother, Madelyn Dunham. Dunham has become seriously ill, prompting the Democratic nominee to leave the campaign trail just 12 days before the election. This morning on CBS' "The Early Show", Obama told Harry Smith that he it was important for him to see his grandmother while she is still alert.

"My grandmother's the last one left," Obama said.

He also expressed regret for not being by his mother's bedside when she passed away in 1995.

"Yeah, got there too late. You know, I mean, it was sort of like this, in the sense that she had a terminal illness. We knew-- she wasn't doing well. But you know, the diagnosis was such that we thought we had a little more time, and we didn't," Obama said, "And so I want to make sure that I don't make the same mistake twice."

Obama spent much of his childhood in Hawaii and was raised by his mother, Ann Dunham, with help from her parents, the ailing Madelyn and the late Stanley Dunham.

Obama was supposed to be campaigning in Wisconsin and Iowa today, but his events were canceled after he got the news about his grandmother. Instead, he has will attend a rally at the American Legion Mall in Indianapolis before taking off for Hawaii.

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by bud_w11 October 23, 2008 5:59 PM EDT: von1232

FYI The most common photo of Obama with his grandparents as an adult is after he graduated from university.

She''s also shown in a campaign commercial.

I hope you can overcome the hate in your heart someday.; Reply to this comment


by cuti26 October 23, 2008 3:51 PM EDT: OneAmerican7 - put down the crack pipe and back away!; Reply to this comment


by Yvonnek October 23, 2008 3:43 PM EDT: Could we see some photos of adult Obama with his grandmother? The only ones shown are him as a teen. Has he neglected to see the woman who raised him for 25 years? If not where are a few photos! Where are photos of the girls with her? Shouldn''t they be going to say goodbye to grandmother or don''t they know her? Remember this is the person that he accused her of racism and called a "typical white person" and he loves her so much that he knew 3 days ago she had deteriorated and yet he doesn''t go until today!! Spare America this!; Reply to this comment


by doctajim October 23, 2008 2:36 PM EDT: Thank you Ionatrailer. I taught at a major US university - you don''t get to Harvard Law WITHOUT everyone having your transcripts - certified, sealed - mailed from the institution. The make-it-up- as-you-go anti-Obama league - learn from debaters; don''t water your argument with meaningless details that only reflect on your inadequacies and make you look the fool.; Reply to this comment


by concerns47 October 23, 2008 2:29 PM EDT: Only 1/4 of regular citizens have contributed to the $600 million Obama raised the other donors are the rich and powerful. Who will get access to the White House?

The rich are left to comfort Obama.; Reply to this comment


by ionatrailer-2009 October 23, 2008 2:21 PM EDT: You people who believe that nonsense that he has born in Indonesia are morons. He was born in Kapiolani Hospital on Oahu. I have friends who worked the OB/GYN there when he was born and they remembered the Obama''s because his father was unusual being from Kenya.; Reply to this comment