Obama Leaves Hawaii – Visited His Sick Grandmother ‘Toot’

 Obama went to visit ‘Toot’ – short for “tutu” the Hawaiian word for grandmother. Grandma Dunham’s health had declined in recent weeks and doctors recommended that Obama visit her before it was too late. Toot helped to raise Obama from he was the age of ten and Obama considers her to be “one of the most important people” his life. Obama’s maternal grandparents acted as his surrogate parents in Hawaii for many years, while his mother, who had remarried, lived abroad.

 

 Obama’s grandparents Madelyn and Stanley Dunham during WWII in 1940.

Obama looked somber as he completed his one day – 22 hour – trip home.

 

 Building Toots has lived in and where Obama grew up.

Obama believes that his will be the last time he sees Toots – Madelyn Dunham who turns 86 on Sunday.  He has expressed anxiety in interviews that Toots may not live until Election Day. Obama visited his grandmother several times at her apartment on Punahou Circle where she has lived for about four decades. Obama attended Punahou High School.

   Obama did not have any meetings or speak with reporters while in Hawaii. Obama has rallies scheduled in Reno, Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada and Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday.

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Economy: America’s For Sale!

Because of George W. Bush and his economic non-strategies, America is for sale – again. 

I distinctly remember in the late 1980s when the Japanese started to purchase significant amounts of American real estate in Hawaii.  The yen had improved and the US economy was struggling and Hawaii saw a substantial increase of Japanese tourists and subsequently Japanese investors.  It got to the point where local home buyers and investors in Hawaii were competing for the limited supply of real estate with investors from Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong and Canada.  Once the Japanese investors bought up Honolulu and The Big Island, they set their eyes on the “The Big Kahuna”.  They came to Manhattan and purchased Rockefeller Center.  New Yorkers were up in arms!  Shocked!  Livid!

It was a matter of pride with New Yorkers and most Americans. The very idea that the center of journalistic and architectural modernity, Rockefeller Center, should belong to another country was beyond comprehension.  Things were THAT bad in America.

Rockefeller Center was named after John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who leased the space from Columbia University in 1928 and developed it from 1930.  It was the largest private building project ever undertaken in modern times. Construction of the 14 buildings in the Art Deco style began on May 17, 1930 and was completed on November 1, 1939 when he drove in the final (silver) rivet into 10 Rockefeller Plaza. Rockefeller Center is a magnificent complicated beauty.  Radio City Music Hall is a part of it. It’s the home of NBC and it’s where Saturday Night Live broadcasts from.  It is the home of the iconic Rockefeller Center Ice Skating Rink which we see in the background of so many movies.  It is where thousands gather each December to watch the lighting of “The Christmas Tree”.

In the late 80s, sadly, the Japanese purchased a major slice of America’s apple pie.

Here we are in 2008, 20 years later and the Chrysler Building is for sale; the world’s tallest brick building is now owned by the United Arab Emirates.   Another beautiful Art Deco building being purchased by a foreign country, this time the super-rich Abu Dhabi Investment Council is negotiating an $800 million deal for a 75 percent stake in the Art Deco treasure that has defined the Midtown skyline since 1930.

Senator Barack Obama’s Accomplishments (Please Pass on)

   Many republicans persist in spreading untruths and propaganda that Senator Barack Obama has not accomplished anything in his career, they insist that he only gives great speeches.  Those statements are hogwash and pure ‘campaign rhetoric’.

This post lists public information that his opponent knows to be true but choose to ignore because it’s not good for republicans if democrats, independents and progressive republicans know all the positive facts about Senator Obama.  Republicans only want us to know damaging facts about Obama so that when we hear negative things (even if they are untrue) they will make us doubtful about him.  Senator Obama served on the Board of Directors for several civic organizations and sits on several Senate committees which I didn’t list because it would make this extremely lengthy. The accomplishments listed here show that Senator Obama is not just a great orator; he is also a VERY HARD WORKER and an accomplished achiever. 

Below is a précis on Senator Obama’s life and career.

Religion	Christian. Saved. Has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. ·       Barack Obama’s father left Barack’s life when he was 2 years old.  Therefore Senator Obama had no Muslim influence in his life.  At the age of 6 in Indonesia, Senator Obama attended Catholic schools where he studied the catechism.  Both CNN and the AP visited the Basuki School, the actual school Obama attended that has been called a madrassa elementary school.  Obama attended the school before the age 6.  The reporters from CNN and the AP found that it is a public school that does not focus on any religion.  The children wear uniforms and the teachers wear western clothing.  Both CNN and the AP investigated and confirmed that the school Obama attended has no similarity to any madrassa school.
Swore on a Quran	This is completely false.  A black congressman from Minnesota, Keith Ellison after he swore on a Bible during his official oath, took a picture for a photo-op with his hand placed on a Quran which was owned by President Thomas Jefferson.  Ellison did not swear on the Quran; it was a personal photo since Ellison is Muslim and historic because the Quran was owned by Jefferson.
Obama will not recite the Pledge of Allegiance	Senator Obama often leads the Pledge of Allegiance on the Senate floor.  The picture that started this rumor was taken during the playing of the national anthem.  It’s not necessary to place your hand over your heart during the playing of the national anthem even though some people do.  US Flag Code, section 4 states: Sec. 4. – Pledge of allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all., should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.
August 4, 1961	Born in Honolulu, Hawaii
May 1979	Graduated Punahou High School, Hawaii
May 1983	Graduated Columbia University, New York City Major: Political Science Specialization: International relations
June 1985-May 1988	Director of Developing Communities Project.  Worked as a church-based community organizer for 8 Catholic parishes on Chicago’s South Side. During his tenure, the DCP staff grew from 1 to 13; its budget grew from $70K to $400K with major accomplishments including setting up job training programs, college preparatory tutoring program and creating a tenants’ rights organization.
Summer 1988	Travelled to Europe for 3 weeks and then to Kenya for 5 weeks where he met his Kenyan relatives for the first time.
Fall 1988	Entered Harvard Law School
June – August 1989	Met Michelle Robinson while he was a Summer Associate at Sidley Austin law firm.
Fall 1989	Started dating Michelle Robinson
1990	President, Harvard Law Review
1991	Graduated from Harvard magna cum laude. Returned to Chicago and started writing his first book, Dreams from My Father
Fall 1991	Became engaged to Michelle Robinson
April – October 1992	Director of Illinois Project Vote!  He had a staff of 10 and 700 volunteers.  They were successful in registering 150,000 out of 400,000 unregistered African-Americans.  Crain’s Chicago Business named Obama to its 1993 list of ’40 under Forty’ powers to be, because of this accomplishment.
October 3, 1992	Married Michelle Robinson Obama
1995	Published his first book, Dreams from My Father
1998	Malia Ann Obama was born
2001	Natasha (Sasha) Obama was born
1993-2002	Associate Attorney with Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland. ·       After 1996 he worked with David, Miner, Barnhill & Galland only during the summers when the Illinois Senate was not in session.  He worked on cases where the firm represented community organizers, pursued discrimination claims and worked on voting rights cases.
1993-2004	Taught constitutional law part-time at the University of Chicago Law School
January 3, 1997 – November 4, 2004	Elected to Illinois State Senate
January 4, 2005 – Present	Elected to United State Senate
2006	Published his second book, The Audacity of Hope