Obama takes break for grandmother visit

Friday, 24 October 2008 9:00 AM

Barack Obama has begun his two-day break from the campaign trail to tend to his ill grandmother.

The Democrat presidential candidate takes the break with the election just 12 days away in a move which some Republicans hope will help his rival John McCain.

Mr Obama's visit to see Madelyn Dunham, who raised him for much of his childhood, was announced earlier this week. Local radio station KGMB9 reported crowds gathered outside her home to greet his arrival.

Speaking on CBS Television yesterday Mr Obama explained his decision, saying he had failed to make it to the bedside of his mother before she passed away.

"We knew that 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," he said.

"And so I want to make sure that I don't make the same mistake twice."

He described his grandmother as "the rock of the family" and said "whatever strength, discipline that I have. comes from her".

The Democrat campaign will be buoyed by the latest endorsement from the influential New York Times newspaper, whose editorial board has declared him their favoured candidate.

Their 'Barack Obama for president' editorial states: "Mr Obama has met challenge after challenge, growing as a leader and putting real flesh on his early promises of hope and change.

"He has shown a cool head and sound judgment. We believe he has the will and the ability to forge the broad political consensus that is essential to finding solutions to this nation's problems."

His wife Michelle Obama and vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden will hold a series of campaign rallies today in his absence.

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