November 3rd, 2008

Hours before this momentous election day comes news that bears sadness on the soon-to-be first black president of the United States. On Monday, Madelyn Payne Dunham, Barack Obama’s grandmother, died from cancer at age 86.

Obama learned of Dunham’s death while he was campaigning in Jacksonville, Fla.

“She’s gone home,” Obama announced to tens of thousands of supporters congregated at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. “And she died peacefully in her sleep with my sister at her side. And so there is great joy as well as tears.”

Last month, Obama took a break from campaigning and flew to Hawaii to be with Dunham as her health declined.

Her influence on Obama’s manner and the way he viewed the world was substantial, the candidate told millions watching him accept his party’s nomination in Denver in August.

“She’s the one who taught me about hard work,” he said in August. “She’s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me.”

Obama’s half sister agreed, much of who Obama is comes from his grandmother.

“From our grandmother, he gets his pragmatism, his levelheadedness, his ability to stay centered in the eye of the story,” she told The Associated Press. “His sensible, no-nonsense (side) is inherited from her.”

“So many of us were hoping and praying that his grandmother would have the opportunity to witness her grandson become our next president,” said Hawaii state Rep. Marcus Oshiro, an Obama supporter. “What a bittersweet victory it will be for him.”

Republican John McCain issued his condolences. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to them as they remember and celebrate the life of someone who had such a profound impact in their lives,” said in the statement made by John and Cindy McCain.

The Obama family is planning a small, private ceremony.