RIP, Madelyn Dunham

Just never a good time for something like this.

Sen. Barack Obama's grandmother has died, his campaign said this afternoon.

Linda Douglass, a senior aide, said Obama learned of her death about 8 a.m. Eastern time today. She said Madelyn Dunham, 87, a woman who helped raise Obama, passed between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Eastern time.

Obama's grandmother, who had been gravely ill, was a rock of stability, giving him the American roots that would ground his teenage years as well as his career in politics.

Our condolences to Senator Obama and his family.

Shameless Obama Uses Grandmother's Illness to Campaign for Socialized Healthcare

I thought he was canceling campaigning while in Hawaii?

Ever the presidential candidate, Obama invoked his grandmother when talking about issues in the campaign.

When asked by Roberts about his plans for health care, Obama said, "I think about my grandmother right now. But, you know, there are a lot of younger people who, in her same circumstances, don't end up having health insurance. Sometimes their kids don't have health insurance."

He also took the time to remind us grandma is a typical racist white person.

What a guy.

He has also pointed out that his grandmother had traces of racism in her, a point Obama made earlier in the campaign when he tried to explain the caustic language used by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama recalled how his beloved grandmother would sometimes make comments about black men on the street because she was afraid of them.

Obama Leaves Campaign Trail to Visit Typical White Grandmother

Apparently Madelyn Payne Dunham never recovered from injuries suffered after her grandson threw her under the bus.

Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama is canceling nearly all his campaign events Thursday and Friday to fly to Hawaii to visit his suddenly ill 85-year-old grandmother, his spokesman said.

Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday that Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, who helped raise him, was released from the hospital late last week. But he said her health had deteriorated "to the point where her situation is very serious."

Obama was expected to resume campaigning on Saturday, though Gibbs was unsure where.

Obama events originally planned for Madison, Wis., and Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday will be replaced with one in Indianapolis before he makes the long flight to Hawaii.

Gibbs said it was still being decided whether surrogates would fill in for Obama. His wife, Michelle, for instance, was not accompanying him to Hawaii.

By all means, get Michelle out there more.

In all seriousness, we wish Mrs. Dunham well. There certainly is never a good time for such occasions.