Obama’s Grandmother Dies on Eve of Election

Susan Davis reports on the presidential race. Barack Obama ’s maternal grandmother died Monday, one day before her grandson has a chance to become the first African American president. Obama recently suspended his presidential campaign to return to his native Hawaii for a farewell visit to Madelyn Dunham , his grandmother who helped raise him. Local news reports said Obama’s Hawaii headquarters have been flooded with get-well cards for Dunham. Below is the statement released this afternoon from Obama and his half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng : It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and ... (link)