Kevin Cronin? The guy form REO Speedwagon?!

Her death was untimely. If she could have made it just one more day. I hope the right wing fucks, (pardon my language but I can't think of a better word for them) who spouted on the radio endlessly about the fact that Obama was only going to Hawaii to forge his birth certificate, burn in hell.

RIP, Madelyn.

I wonder how many white grandmothers out there will finally let go of their latent racism, knowing that they would be very proud of Barack if he was their grandson.

Yes, it is great and touching that Ms. Dunham's vote was counted posthumously. However, most such people aren't so lucky AFAIK. We need to hash this out and have a fair and uniform national standard, along with all the other reform our pathetic voting system needs (mostly due to states/localities-rights cranks.)

It is actually pretty touching that one of her last acts was to vote for her grandson to be elected President of the United States. If he wins, that will go down as a very interesting sidenote.

Justin, the wingnuts were also saying that Obama must have faked the timing of her death for political purposes.

I'm afraid it's going to be a long four years, those trolls will never learn to be logical or civilized.

I imagine that the RedStaters will begin howling by lunchtime about how Hawaii is allowing dead people to vote---but likewise, I can also enjoy imagining someone dropping a great big rock---the size of Hawaii, perhaps---on the RedStaters.

LOL! Breeze, I was thinking the same thing!

I'd like to think Obama was able to reassure his grandmother days ago that the election is in the bag, based on polls, etc.

There's another argument in favor of early voting.

I just got back from voting in Burlington VT. Folks were voting at a good clip for 11am.

Whoo-hoo! Election Day!

Behind the curtain...

From The Audacity of Hope as he awaits to go on stage for his 2004 keynote:

...finally it was just Michelle and me sitting backstage and watching the broadcast, that I started to feel just a tad bit nervous. I mentioned to Michelle that my stomach was feeling a little grumbly. She hugged me tight, looked in my eyes, and said, "Just don't screw it up, buddy!"

We both laughed. Just then, one of the production managers came into the hold room and told me it was time to take my position offstage. Standing behind the black curtain, listening to Dick Durban introduce me, I thought about my mother and father and grandfather and what it might have been like for them to be in the audience. I thought about my grandmother in Hawaii, watching the convention on TV because her back was too deteriorated for her to travel. I thought about all the volunteers and supporters back in Illinois who had worked so hard on my behalf.

Lord, let me tell their stories right, I said to myself. Then I walked onto the stage.

It's like Moses not getting to enter the promised land. I hope and trust she's watching from above. Heaven...

It strikes me that election officials would have to count her vote--or go back and review each early or absentee vote to ensure that none of these voters had passed away since casting it.

Madelyn Dunham's vote is almost certainly not the only one cast by a live person who then died between voting early and the end of the election process. Hers is only the most poignant and famous.

Kevin Cronin? The guy from REO Speedwagon?!

REO Speed Wagon. Great truck. Lousy band.