As Primary Nears, Obama Takes His Family to Voters

[sniffa]

FT. WAYNE, IND. -- With help from his wife and daughters, Barack Obama closed his final days of campaigning before Tuesday's primaries by knocking on doors and hosting a massive family picnic. Crowds gathered on sidewalks in a working-class neighborhood in Elkhart, Ind., to meet the Obama family.

"Hey! I'm here to look for some votes. Let's go find some votes,” Obama said as he got off of his campaign bus with his daughters Sasha, 6, and Malia, 9.

He spoke to voters individually, often talking about gas prices and taking some jabs at his opponents.

........

The Obama family “picnic” drew a crowd of 4,000 to Headwaters Park, where his daughters took the stage for the first time since campaigning with their father. After introducing herself, Sasha said, “Vote for daddy!”

Michelle Obama told the crowd the race has been tough, but that she’s proud of her husband’s character throughout the campaign.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/05/04/politics/fromtheroad/entry4069402.shtml

[livetohike]

1. "Vote for daddy!" Got to love it!

:hi:

[sniffa]

9. They're adorable kids

Just think of a White House with children again. :bounce:

[Pirate Smile]

2. I want video! I haven't seen it anywhere yet.

[flpoljunkie]

5. No video, but here's some great photos I added to my earlier OP--due to 3 post limitation!

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., stands with his two daughters, Malia, left, and Sasha, as he is introduced by his wife Michelle, right, at Headwaters Park in Fort Wayne, Ind., Sunday, May 4, 2008.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)


Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, holds a kid as he greets supporters at Headwaters Park in Fort Wayne, Ind., Sunday, May 4, 2008.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)


Supporters wait for U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) at a campaign stop at the Headwaters Park Pavilion in Fort Wayne, Indiana, May 4, 2008. Indiana will hold one of the next Democratic primary elections on May 6. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes


Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., greets supporters after speaking at Headwaters Park in Fort Wayne, Ind., Sunday, May 4, 2008.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)


Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., shakes hands during his door-to-door campaign in Elkhart, Ind., Sunday, May 4, 2008.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

[sniffa]

6. I was hoping photos would show up on this thread

Thanks. :bounce:

[TahitiNut]

8. The Secret Service detail sure does look alert. Five of them on the rope line.

That doesn't count the ones with a lower profile working in the crowd, either. I wonder if they're keeping a particularly tight lid on the threats they're hearing.

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. His mother's family came to Indiana in 1840s

Sen. Barack Obama has some little-known Hoosier roots, according to state historians.

His mother, Ann Dunham, was born in Kansas. But if you go back a few generations, you'll find her family includes Hoosier farmers, doctors and teachers. One of his great-uncles, William Riley Dunham, was even a member of the state legislature. And, yes, he was a Democrat.

Today, Obama highlights the connection in Kempton, Indiana. Ben Smith:

Obama makes a stop this afternoon at a house on land once owned by his "2nd, 3rd and 4th great-grandfathers" on his mother's side, the campaign says.

The house in Kempton, Ind., was built by one of Obama's great-uncles, who was a member of the Indiana legislature -- the campaign notes -- and stayed in the family until the 1970s.
His mother, Ann Dunham, was born in Kansas. But if you go back a few generations, you'll find her family includes Hoosier farmers, doctors and teachers. One of his great-uncles, William Riley Dunham, was even a member of the state legislature. And, yes, he was a Democrat.

The Dunhams moved to Indiana in the 1840s when the area was "nothing but wilderness and swamp," according to Carolyn Etchison, director of the Heritage Center at the Tipton County Historical Society.
One side of the family moved to Kansas sometime between 1880 and 1900.

Another part of the family stayed in Tipton County, where a few descendants still live. They've learned about the Obama connection recently and are choosing to keep a low profile. The Dunham name has mostly vanished from Kempton, and the descendants have chosen to remain unidentified, Etchison said.

"They are very proud of it and everything, but they prefer to remain anonymous because they have nothing to add."
The man restoring the Dunhams' ancestral home is happy to share its history, though. Shawn Clements, who has restored several historic homes, purchased the house that William Riley Dunham built in the late 1800s, unaware of its Obama connection. Now he's considering scheduling a few tours after work is finished on the 12-room home, possibly this summer.

Clements, 40, has been researching its history and chatting with local residents who enjoy sharing their stories with him.
"I'm getting a lot of people who want to walk through," he said.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080406/NEWS05/804060349

[sniffa]

4. Good trivia

:thumbsup:

[1776Forever]

11. Thanks! I enjoyed reading that - here is a link to a picture of the Victorian house.....

http://www.kokomotribune.com/local/images_sizedimage_125000543/resources_photoview

[Cha]

15. Thanks, Ichingcarpenter..I wondered how

that house came about..



<more pics>
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5803783

[Cha]

7. I'll vote for your Daddy!

[sniffa]

12. I love these pics

:bounce:

[Cha]

14. I know..I was talking to my

sister on the phone and telling her about the pics(roller skating, Rally in Asheville, House in Indiana that his great great great grandfather built,ect) & how I want them for our First Family so bad!

[RazBerryBeret]

10. I really wish he'd bring his mother-in-law out.

that would have to be a draw, and older, white, middle class (I hate that term) woman ....

[Cha]

13. I think she's really frail at this

point..I saw her in an ad and I don't think it would be comfortable for her.

[RazBerryBeret]

16. ah....that's too bad...

and I hate to hear that.
thanks for the info.

[sniffa]

17. Michelle's mother?

[Cha]

18. No, it's Obama's

mother's mother..