Obama in His Own Words on His Grandmother (August & October 2008)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

CQ Transcripts: Obama in His Own Words on His Grandmother

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002982508&cpage=2

Obama Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention, Invesco Field

Aug. 31, 2008

When I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business or making her way in the world, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman.

She’s the one who taught me about hard work. She’s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she’s watching tonight and that tonight is her night, as well.

Obama with his grandparents Madelyn and Stanley Dunham (aka Toot and Gramps) at his high school graduation in 1979.

Obama Interviewed on ABC’S “Good Morning America”

Oct. 24, 2008

SPEAKERS: SEN. BARACK OBAMA, D-ILL.

ROBIN ROBERTS, ABC ANCHOR

<*> ROBERTS: Senator Barack Obama leaving the campaign trail to be with his ailing grandmother. As we said, he arrived in Hawaii overnight. But before he left, Senator Obama sat down with me after his rally in Indianapolis. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS (on camera): For you to leave the campaign trail, we know how serious the situation must be with your grandmother.

But is there anything in particular that has happened recently (inaudible) that has caused you great concern?

OBAMA: Yes. I mean, we -- without going through the details too much, she’s gravely ill. You know, we weren’t sure -- and I’m still not sure whether she makes it to Election Day. And so, now, you know, we’re all praying, and we hope she does.

But I -- you know, one of the things I wanted to make sure of is that I had a chance to sit down with her and talk to her. She’s still alert, and she’s still got all her faculties. And I want to make sure that I don’t miss that opportunity right now.

ROBERTS: For you to say she may not make it to Election Day -- what would that mean if she’s not still here with you?

OBAMA: She’s really been one of the cornerstones of my life. And she’s a remarkable woman. And the nice thing is, is that ever since people found out that I was leaving the campaign trail for a day, she’s been inundated with, you know, phone calls and e-mails and flowers from total strangers. And so, maybe she is getting a sense of long-deserved recognition at -- at -- towards the end of her life.

Obama's grandparents during World War II. Stanley joined the Army after Pearl Harbor, and Madelyn worked on a bomber assembly line.

Obama on CBS’ “Early Show”

Oct. 23, 2008

SPEAKERS:

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, D-ILL.

HARRY SMITH, CBS ANCHOR

SMITH: I caught up with Senator Obama yesterday in Richmond, Virginia, and asked him about leaving the campaign trail at such a crucial time to visit his grandmother.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Lincoln said, “All I ever hope to be I owe to her,” in speaking about his mother. Your grandmother was very much like a mother to you. How important is this trip?

OBAMA: It’s very important to me. You know, my mother was a single mom, so she raised me with the help of my grandparents. And so my grandmother, my grandfather, my mom, they’re really the people who -- who took care of me all throughout my childhood.

My grandmother’s the last one left. She has really been the rock of the family, the foundation of the family. Whatever strength, discipline that I have, it comes from her.

SMITH: You said in the past that you regretted -- your own mother’s illness -- and her death came so quickly -- you didn’t have time to get back to see her.

OBAMA: Got there too late. We knew she wasn’t doing well. But, you know, the diagnosis was such where we thought we had a little more time and we didn’t. And so I want to make sure that I don’t -- I don’t make the same mistake twice.

SMITH: Some people say there’s risk involved in this, with so little time left.

OBAMA: Yes, well, the -- I think most people understand that if you’re not caring for your family, then you’re probably not the kind of person who’s going to be caring for other people.

Madelyn spoke about her grandson in a campaign commercial.

Photos from Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/03/obamas-grandmother-dies-a_n_140639.html)

[BrklynLiberal]

1. He was very loved by her..and that is what gives him that inner

strength...