Obama Taking Some Time Out for Toot

[bigtree]

Obama's Grandmother, No `Typical' Woman, Broke Her Own Barriers



Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- {snip} Obama is traveling today to Honolulu, where he'll visit the woman he calls ``Toot,'' short for ``tutu,'' the Hawaiian word for grandmother. While his late grandfather, Stanley, was a gregarious wanderer and his deceased mother, Ann, an intellectually adventurous free spirit, Madelyn Dunham, 85, was the steady force who kept her family grounded.

``She was the grand matriarch,'' said Maya Soetoro-Ng, 37, Obama's half-Indonesian sister who lives in Honolulu and helps take care of Dunham. ``She was the net beneath us so we could make courageous decisions in our own lives.''

Dunham still resides in the Honolulu apartment building where she and her husband helped raise Obama . . .




Dunham, raised in a strict Methodist home in Kansas, became one of Bank of Hawaii's first female vice presidents . . . more


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ahv9BUQLp6SI&refer=worldwide

[Justitia]

1. Those are great pics! I am VERY close to my own grandmother, who, like Obama's grandmom, raised me.

So, it really moves me to see these pics of him w/his grandparents and to hear of his special relationship with them.

I remember the night his voice broke when he dedicated the evening to his grandmom (when he won the nomination?), it brought tears to my eyes thinking of my own grandmom and how proud she must be of him.

He is very, very lucky that she is still with him at this time in his adult life. It is such a gift to still have a grandparent at his age.

Grandmoms are the embodiment of unconditional love.

[Triana]

2. He has an incredible family and a great family background. It is fascinating. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

3. Interesting article

[DeepModem Mom]

4. K&R

[RNdaSilva]

5. Mahalo!

Obama, have a great Wa ho'omaha.

My tutu, on my father's side, Mele Kuai (maiden name), was Hawaiian.

[TexasObserver]

6. he's gonna get recharged on that unconditional love

[malaise]

9. Put Hawaii in the Dem column

Enjoy your working holiday Barack and family

[Hekate]

7. Kickin' this for the night crew. Happy b'day Barack O, and good vacation w/ the family! nt

:kick:

[bigtree]

8. . . . and give your grandma a big hug

you big lug

[aikoaiko]

10. When I first say the Subject Line, I thought this was about the cocaine rumors again.

And yes, I know I'm dating myself with the cocaine as toot reference.

:hi: