114-Year-Old Gertrude Baines Becomes World's Oldest Person, Voted For Obama In November (VIDEO)

With the death of 115-year-old Maria de Jesus on Friday, 114-year-old American Gertrude Baines has become the world's oldest person.

Ms. Baines voted for Barack Obama in November, saying "the Republicans want everything for themselves." When asked why she was voting for Obama, whose name she struggled to pronounce, Ms. Baines said "'cause he's for the colored people." When someone else asked if she'd ever imagined a black man as president she said "I sure didn't."

"So I'm glad I'm here. I don't care if I live a hundred more," she said, laughing. "I ain't done nothing but eating and sleeping."

She also decided to remove a photograph of George and Laura Bush from her wall.

WATCH:

Comments

[wembakoy]

Yes she can.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a14EXiryriY&feature=related

[drsmc41]

I wish I could sit down and talk with her. There's a lot of history there.

[FebM]

She was 66 when Obama was born!

[theaterdoc]

She deserves an invitation to the inauguration! Maybe the inaugural committee has extended one?

[EvangelicalEmpathy]

A 114 year-old woman travel from LA to DC in January? To attend an outdoor ceremony? I wouldn't recommend it. I think the blessed Ms. Baines should enjoy a frontrow seat in her living room with an autographed, personnally addressed "thank you" picture of President Obama by her side.

[lightoftruth2]

Actually 67 (Aug 4 1961-Apr 6 1894).

[papapj]

Ooh! such wisdom.

"Never a Republican. Republicans want everything for themselves"

WORD!

My venerable sister, you need to write your biography, or publish your diary - I'm sure it would be a fascinating read....!

[lightoftruth2]

Just think, Gertrude was born 2 years BEFORE the 1896 Supreme Court decision of Plessy vs. Ferguson decided that "separate but equal" would be the law of the land. So, in a way she predates the Jim Crow era.

[wagadog]

WOW. Thanks for that.

[tjfxh]

She looks great for 114. Unless the pic is photoshopped she could pass for 60 or 70!

[TFDNYC]

i love old people when they're nice :). I also like articles and subsequent comments when it's good news for a welcome change. Happy '09 HuffPosters!

[deepfreezevideo]

I love em when they're nice and even if they're not always so nice.
If they're not so nice I still manage to learn something from them, like why they aren't so nice LOL.

[jaielaw]

SO true. One of my grandmothers, may she rest in peace, was one of the meanest people I had ever met. But every minute spent with her was a treasure. It didn't hurt that she was an amazing cook.

[neesy08]

As we say in Dixie, "God Bless Her Little Heart!" Can yo imagine what this woman as witnessed in her 114 years! NEVER did she dream a man with African blood would be POTUS! And God allowed her to live to see this day! On the other hand, that photo of Bush should have came down about 5 years ago!

[TruthAndTheory]

It's amazing to think of all the things she has witnessed over 114 years, mainly the end of slavery, and recognizing women's rights and equality. It's no wonder she's for Obama.

[neesy08]

Slavery ended in 1865! She's not THAT old! She saw the end of Jim Crow!

[TruthAndTheory]

ok, ok, i was thinking desegregation, and wrote the first thing that came into my head.
I know that came out wrong!

[psychmaj323]

LOL, YEAH I was like HUH? LOL

[Lahonda]

We will soon see people living beyond 120 years quite regularly. Can you imagine the change the next generation will witness in the next 100 years?

[Soundofthunder]

With obesity on the rise in America, not likely. Other countries perhaps. But not here.

SOT

[triplbee]

I think both of you are correct. Average life expectancies may decrease because we've become a nation of fat overeaters who think that walking a block is a form of torture. But the advent of organic diets and holistic exercise may well lead to a subsector of our population regularly living beyond 100 years.

[Kiba]

Longevity research is accelerating like crazy. The question among researchers is not whether the first human to live to 1000 is alive today. That's a given. The question is: what age is that person? Closer to six or sixty?

[lightoftruth2]

You are guilty of 'scientism,' turning science into a faith-based religion.

While you predict hocus-pocus, the truth is, the last person left from 1893 just passed on (at 115) and the second-oldest person, Beatrice Farve, is just 113. Seems to me like we've hit a wall that isn't coming down any time soon...

[HamletsMill]

Bless that wonderful woman's soul! Bless her!

[Cambridge9]

What an amazing face with perfect complexion and wonderful smile.

[ArmyCentrist]

Y'all ain't heard yet? Black don't crack! (You'll be hearing plenty of these euphemisms with a Black First Family, btw)

[MPeter]

This is just fantastic. She is an encyclopedia of memories. Wow! She lived through it all and in the end, was able to vote for a candidate she really, really liked. God Bless Her!!!

[GTFOOH]

EAT, SLEEP, AND GET RID OF A PICTURE OF GEORGE AND LAURA BUSH.
IF I LIVE TO BE 114, I WANT TO DO IT EXACTLY LIKE SISTER BAINES!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!

[NoDubya]

Her parents/gr­andparents were slaves. Pretty amazing stuff.

[s miller08]

YES! That's why when people try to tell black folks to "get over it" when talking about slavery, Jim Crow, and terrorism against us, it's obnoxious because there are living people today whose parents and grandparents were in slavery.