I agree 100% with Stephanie.
I feel people should support him more for his feeling for old people. You must never forget people who supported you in the past. He is a real hero, a real human being. Salute you Sir

P. V. Nair, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Shame on you people who did not support Obama took 36 hrs off to visit his very sick grandma. No matter what your position is in your life right now, you should remember those pple in your past who were kind to you and always put you first. Obama just showed that he's the real American hero.

Stephanie, Boston, The US

Here's a woman who had a hand in Mr Obama's upbringing and who undoubtedly at some stage, as small and insignificant as it may seem, changed her work/life schedule to accommodate him. Good on you mate! I hope your Grandma gets well again!

Sheila, Queensland, Australia

As with the majority of the people taking time to post a comment, I sincerely wish for the best for the Obama-Durham family. The several negative posts are what they are - negative and vicious. i agree wholeheartedly with Catherine from Ningbo, China.

michael webb, san francisco, USA

I feel cynical to be the first person here to suggest that if the lady dies, it may benefit her grandson's campaign.

I'm sure if he were POTUS & this came up during a crisis he wouldn't go. But if he could live with not going while just a nominee, he wouldn't have the compassion to be President.

Elizabeth, New York,

We should let Mr. Obama and his family deal with matter privately. Instead, we should concentrate on the elections issues and who will be a better leader. Americans have long mixed their private interests into the public hence we volunteer less, we vote less, we know alot less about politics. SAD

Naleen Lal, Northern California,

There was no reason for McCain to suspend his campaign. He was not a member of a Senate banking or finance committee. It was political grandstanding.
Obama suspending his campaign to be with Mrs Dunham is an entirely different situation. He himself must be with her. I will vote for Obama Nov 4.

Carolyn, Los Angeles, CA/USA

Last time I checked, Barack earned the title of Senator from his electorate. Let's address him as such with the title he deserves. Mr. Obama is not appropriate.

Jean, Chicago, USA

G-d bless Mr.Obama. He will give back the American people the "moral values" that they lost during the Bush administration.

Antonio da Silva, Rosario, argentina

Honestly I hope she manages to stay alive long enough. Fact is that if he's meant to be president, nothing, not even visiting toots mid-campaign will change that eventuality. In all honesty there have been so many obstacles against him and somehow he's still here. This won't possibly derail him.

Chris, Houston, Tx

Oh, Michael, Michael. Obama must be the most scrutinised person on the planet and nothing thrown at him has stuck. He's going to be elected president on a popular vote and quite rightly; get over it.

Ken, Chelmsford, UK

It's amazing how the anti-Obama crowd seems to know so much about him that nobody else does. I guess your just special enough to have the inside track.
Hey Mike from Tenn! Do you really think he is in HI only because he is being sued? Don't you think that maybe he can just hire local counsel?

Sushi, Scranton, USA

Obama's going to Hawaii because he's being sued in the State Supreme Court to release his birth records. He and the DNC were served with papers at 1 p.m. Monday.
He claims citizenship in 3 countries.

Michael, Tennessee, U.S.

I just hope that Toot lives long enough to see her grandson sworn in. What a reward that would be for her efforts. Obama was quite correct to go visit her.

Alex McGregor, Plymouth, UK

I have alot of repsect for Mr Obama,i wish we had politicians like him in the UK. I respect his decision with his grandma,i would make the same choice. But as a possible,probable, head of state he does not have that luxury, its not right or fair to say that i know, but it is a fact nonetheless

chris, Rochdale, UK

McCain's cop-out when he tried to duck the presidential debate by flying to DC because the economy was "about to crater" is no comparison. He was at NBC studio interviewing with Couric and left Letterman very slighted. Obama's gran doesn't have a $70b bailout package waiting to save her life.

Faye, St. Michael, Barbados

May the Lord be with him and his Grandma!!!!

Rosalind, South Amboy, USA

Can someone please educate me on the Roman Catholic Church's response to the African Slave Trade that was the ultimate genocidal event in human history orchestrated by the white western world and its capitalist economies? Did contemporaneous Popes ever bother to opine on the odious human trade?

Mukefor Dennis Tambe, Crawley, England

Obviously there will have been political consideration of this issue as well as personal consideration due to the proximity of the vote. But how nice to see Obama value the time, care and love he has shared with his grandmother. I too hope "Toot" sees her grandson succeed and make history.

Jo, Wakefield, West Yorks. UK

I hope the really cynical and heartless people commenting about Obama putting his campaign on hold to be by his grandmother's side never have to experience a serious family illness, combined with running for an extremely important job.

Ruby, London,

We all owe Madelyn Lee Payne Dunham a great debt of gratitude! May Yahweh (Our Heavenly Father) give you enough strength to see your grandson win the Presidential Election.

Jimmy C, Letchworth Garden City, UK

A message to the 'bleeding hearts' and 'New World lovees'

Just a few weeks ago you were having a go at McCain for wanting to stop the campaign for a few weeks because the western worlds banking system was going down the pan, this guy stops the campaign for an ill family member.

Dan, London, England

Stop all the talk about what plane it was or wasn't. Here is a man who takes family seriously and honours his elders. It is about love, loyalty and dedication. He will bring that to the office of the President...what a lovey change.

KNeval, Denver, CO, USA

Good for Obama, there is no other option than to be at your gravely ill grandmothers beside. This will hopefully show the world humanity and set a good example. Life is not just about money and politics it is also about expressions of kindness and acts of love.

Victoria, London,

It's wonderful that a grandchild is rushing to the bedside of his ailing grandmother, but the sad part of this story is that Barack Obama's beloved grandmother may not live long enough to see her grandson become President.

Douglas Cornish, Ottawa, Canada

Obama can't send his wife as she is not directly related to his grandmother. Obama wrote that he regretted he was not there personally when his mother died. He will not repeat the same here. All respect to him.

Carol Hayes, Canterbury, Kent, UK

To pretend that politics has nothing to do with this is naive. As a person no doubt Obama wishes to be with his grandmother.
As a politician, he and his advisors have sat down and discussed whether going to her would be seen as compassionate and caring, or weak and distracted.

John, Skipton, Yorkshire

She helped to build the B1 bomber during WW2? B1 bomber didn't fly until 1960's.

Miriam, Elgin, Illinois, U.S.A

Mr Obama is doing the only thing he can do given the situation, showing commitment to family and the human side to life. Family values which should not be ignored in our socities across the globe, the love of ones family, care and compassion, I hope she recovers with gods help Amen.

Daphne Kenward, Cambridge, UK

The B-1 bomber was introduced to the US Air Force as a supersonic complement to the B-52 - 1 October 1986, so I think a digit is missing somewhere in there..

Johnny Toobad, Copenhagen, Denmark

With all due respect to The Times, the factual accuracy of this report is deeply flawed!
B-1 bombers were not built during second world war, as if they had been, I guess only a couple of dozen of them would have been enough to knock Nazi Germany and Japan out of the war within weeks, if not days!

Levent Mertsoy, IZMIR, TURKEY

I am sorry for those people who feels that he is not dedicated. On the contrary this show a caring person who is not a machine but human and will make humanly decision for a better America because let's face it, it is has gone downhill.
RESPECT TO Mr. Obama.

Farzana Beeharry, london, UK

God bless Toot and Obama!

Weiguang Wang, Wolverhampton,

Why should he send his wife? It's his grandmother, not hers.

alexa, Doncaster, u.k

This is an example of a an action of the type shoot-two-rabbits-with one bullet. Mr. Obama can both visit his grandmother and give further boost to his campaign. This action will target wider audience in his campaign and bring him more points compared to the local impact of the cancelled events.

Tim, Malvern , UK

The day one forgets one's grandma, humanity has lost.

WONG PENG MUN, Tawau, Malaysia

@camara sayon, Bratislava, Slovak republic

Madelyn Dunham is related to and raised up Obama - not his wife. How on earth would having the wife of your grandchild be of any emotional advantage to either?

Howard, Manchester,

Its the most stupid marketing campaign that i have ever seen, Hope his grandma is not going to die where be some very important issues going around the world. This is the reason why i can not be president. This is the reason he can be nurse not the head of the biggest country i the world.

tom, katowice, poland

I'd love to see Sarah Palin run an opportunist "attack" on this decision as some sort of weakness or lack of dedication. That would show the world the sort of person she is and finish the republican campaign once and for all.

Paul, London,

Obama should send his wife to deal with such family problems now. the time and stake are too important to have a rest

camara sayon, Bratislava, Slovak republic

i like this kind of person. better to be human than political cold machine

Catherine, Ningbo, China

I can only pray that Toot recovers from her situation and live to see her dreams and investments in her grandson realised as he makes history in a few days time.

William Aku, Nri, Nigeria