Obama To Visit Grave Of Grandfather, Who Fought In WWII

TNR's Michael Crowley notes that this will "make for a fascinating political and cultural moment":

To underline his own family's military pedigree, Obama plans a trip in coming weeks to the Punchbowl National Cemetery in Hawaii, where his grandfather, who served in World War II, is buried.

Comments

[moda31]

this is something emotional and important that he does with his family on a regular basis from what i understand, it'll also be nice for their family to get to spend some time in hawaii with his sister and grandmother. he looks so much like his grandfather it's amazing, the photo on the cover of dreams from my father is eerie. the photo shown above is also really beautiful, it must be incredibly hard not having so many of his family members alive to share the special moments in his life with him and his family.

[Sparklez]

I didnt know Grandma was still alive

He needs to put her in the spotlight too. Then again, she may not want to be and i dont blame her with the ways they tried to drag Michelle down

I think a family portrait would be nice and he could let the public see it. Family Values.

[omaro]

In spite of all the right-wing blowhards who tried to characterize Obama's reference to his grandmother's expressing wince-making racial stereotypes on occasion as "throwing her under the bus," she fully supports him, although she doesn't give interviews. She did a terrific TV ad, along with his sister, that I saw on-line some months ago. It showed an excerpt from an interview, one that shows she is clearly still compos mentis, and can articulately make the case for why he'd be a good president. It seems Obama was surrounded by powerful women growing up, and today. He clearly loves and is loved by, them all.

[otispfudpucker]

I miss my grandparents, all four of them are gone and they were a great influence in my life. I always go to their grave sites on their anniversary dates of their deaths and put flowers on their graves.
I really miss them..

[4wehttam]

Yeah, all four of mine are deceased as well. Way before their time. I look at this wonderful moment in history with Barack and his grandfather and it reminds me of the purity and innocence of childhood.

[Mack1124]

This is politics as usual, I don't think any candidate should visit a love one's grave for political reason (HRC visited her father's grave during the PA primary).

Not a huge fan of Obama but will vote for him in the general. I just strongly dislike the worshipping of him by some of his supporters and don't understand why most (including the media) dont see how he is a "politican" just like all the others, and him visiting his grandfather's grave is an example of that. It is clear this is politics. I am sure he loves his grandfather and respects him and during this historic time and special time in his life I am sure he is thinking about his family, but having the press get a "whiff" of him going to his grandfather's grave has "political strategy" written all over it.

[editrix66]

I don't idolize him, either, although I respect him greatly. But he Obama must make a concerted effort to reintroduce himself to the American people. Look at the polls of people who have clear misconceptions of him. His grandparents and mother raised him, yet they are barely discussed. Instead, the Republicans (or their 527 surrogates) have defined him as a black Muslim radical elitist, who looks down on white people, will take people's guns and money away, and appease the enemy. Obama has to shape his own image, not let his opposition do it for him.

[jah2008]

Absolutely. Of course this is politics, but it's a necessary one. Half the people who voted in the Democratic West Virginia Primary believed that Obama was muslim and/or shared the views of Rev.Wright. This is precisely why it's necessary for Obama to tell his story to the American people about who he is and where he comes from. Politics it may be, but it's also the truth.

[YWCYWC]

Those of us who are enthusiastic supporters of Obama recognize that along with his unusual leadership qualities he is also a politician. Ultimately every great leader has to play politics, You can't fault him for that. On the other hand, if you read his autobiography, you will recognize that his grandfather was as a close of a father figure to him as anyone else. The autobiography was written before his political aspirations took hold. He clearly talks about his admiration and love for his grandfather, so visiting his grave is a genuine tribute.

[MsLiz]

It is also time to show photos of Obama with the family he grew up with. A picture is worth a thousand words.

[solidsonic02]

Um... it's Memorial Day weekend. I can bet you this is an annual trip for the Obama family. It just sucks that it's happening while he's under a microscope, and people like you view this as a political stunt than as a man going to pay respects to his grandfather, who served, on Memorial Day (or MD weekend as it is)

[coinier]

its memorial day twit.it,twit.it's the time to think about those who have served in the military,and barack's granpa was a ww2 veteran.

[coinier]

it's memorial day weekend.

[Mayoyo]

Great!
I am among tose who believe had his name been Smith no one would question his patriotism.
Do what you have to. We're are with you all the way.

[clearthinker2008]

If he was a black "Smith" they would have. However, that is a very cute picture of him and his grandfather. It made me smile immediately.

[yoli647]

Great, Obama should speak more on his mother's side of the family and It will be good for this country to know.

[Harrygton]

Very nice picture... we are so lucky to have this person who's very nature and life story personifies what so many seer's have predicted "could be"! I just hope that the machinery in Washington doesn't consume the joy, the pure exuberance for living we see in this photo that captures the love that unites instead of the fear that divides!

You may quote me!

[Sylmason]

Now we know where he got those ears from. Granddaddy. What a wonderful picture.

[LisainNYC]

Agree. I love that photo and what it says.

[iBgood]

Cute. He looks like he has his Grandpa's smile!

[e2008usa]

TALKING ABOUT SKIN COLOR IS REJECTING A HUMAN BEING COMING FROM A WHITE AND BLACK FAMILY. ITS LIKE INSULTING HIS WHITE MOTHER AND HIS BLACK FATHER BECAUSE YOU SHOW NO RESPECT TO THIS KIND OF HUMAN –

OBAMAS GENES ARE WHITE AND BLACK... NOT ONLY WHITE NOT ONLY BLACK, IT MEANS THAT, HIS GENES consist of a long strand of DNA that contains a promoter, which controls the activity of a gene, and coding and non-coding sequence. Coding sequence determines what the gene produces, while non-coding sequence can regulate the conditions of gene expression. IT MEANS THAT YOU AND I CANNOT CLAIM FOR BETTER PRESIDENT THAN A BLACK AND WHITE LEADER UNITED IN A SAME CANDIDATE. DENYING HIM IS DENYING YOURSELF

NOW...

INSULTING OBAMAS MOTHER; GRAND PARENTS IS INSULTING YOURSELF IF YOU LOOK LIKE THEM AND HAVE SELF RESPECT THEN RESPECT THE HUMAN.

DON*T PUT YOURSELF IN CONFLICT WITH YOURSELF - LIVE IN HARMONY WITH YOUR HALF BROTHER - OUR LIFETIME IS SHORT FOR NOT TO DESERVE TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF THE NATURE AROUND US - IF YOU CANNOT APPRECIATE THE NATURE AS THE BLUE SKY – GREEN TREES AND THE BROWN COLOR OF EARTH - THEN HOW CAN YOU LIVE IN HARMONY WITH YOUR LIFE. DON’T LIE TO YOURSELF – LIFE IS WONDERFUL 4 YOU AND ME – OBAMAS GRAND PARENTS LOVED THEIR SON AND WOULD BE PROUD OF HIM.

[Cay]

Caps are difficult to read.

[xmw]

i agree. this "one drop law" that the U.S. still adheres to is cruel because it forces a black/white person to only claim their black side legally. there really needs to be a revamping of the classes. i have a problem with the africa-american thing. I am an american. i was born in this country. whites aren't called caucasian american. it's just another means of divisivness and labeling..

[pad759]

Yes, his grandfather is truly a man of GOD. Most white Americans would not have accepted a half black grandchild back in the sixties. Truly a man of great respect.

[Philly4Obama]

I miss the beach!

[Braveheart1]

I love this picture; it just beautiful! You can see the love between Senator Obama and his grandfather. I wish Senator Obama's mother was alive to see her son. She would be so proud. The way Barack Obama has described her in interviews, she must have been a very special lady.

[obamanation31]

I really wish his mother was alive to see him today...:)

[liberalrebuttal]

I wish she was alive to defend him today.

[bentenrai]

I think he's doing pretty good on his own.

[MsLiz]

Ann Dunham would be six years younger than McCain if she were alive.

If she had had the best health care, she might still be with us.

[caroledj]

Barack was such a cute kid! Love that photo.

[GrainOSand]

Bi-racial, white, black...I grow weary of these petty inappropriate distinctions designed to assign worth, blame, capability, and to represent the overall measure of a person. These terms do a disservice to the people they attempt to describe and they burden a nation that needs to be agile in a fast changing world.

I look at the picture of a young boy and his granddad and I see love which is every color of the rainbow and then some. I am not someone who wants his view to be the only view, but I am hard pressed to understand why race and hatred are getting more press than unity and love. The former two are the ill-conceived fabrication of people and the latter are the divine gift to us all if we would only receive it.

There is not white, black, brown, red, yellow, or otherwise in the heart of he/she who loves. If this became the mandate and it spreads wildfire like throughout the land, how could we lose? How could we not meet the challenges of today and tomorrow? Looking at the picture and then at the present day Barack Obama reminds me of the power of the possibility of love. I, a man of brown skin, see his grandfather a man of a lighter brown hue, as a man worthy of respect through deed and ability to transcend the ignorance around him and embrace the power of love within him.

[IslandGyal]

The assignment of "worth", because you have White blood in you; that's what the intriguing part of this is.

[CocteausTwin]

What a great picture. I loved my grandfather(s) the same way.