| | Obama's grandmother dies from cancer on election's eve
 WASHINGTON (AFP) – In a tragic twist to his White House campaign, Barack Obama announced Monday on the eve of election day, that the grandmother who brought him up had died, aged 86.
The Democratic nominee, who stands on the historic threshold of becoming the first black US president, had dashed to Madelyn Dunham 's side in Hawaii two weeks ago, fearing she would not live to see what polls suggest may be his triumph.
"It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer," Obama said in a joint statement with his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng.
"She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility.
"She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances.
"She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure."
Obama campaign spokeswoman Linda Douglass said Obama had learned of Dunham's passing on Monday before his first rally in Jacksonville, Florida, but he showed no obvious signs of distress during the event.
Dunham died between four and five a.m. eastern time, she said.
Obama issued his statement ahead of the two final rallies of a 21-month quest for the White House, before heading home to Chicago to await the judgement of voters on Tuesday.
Dunham, known affectionately to her grandson as "Toot," helped raise Obama, who barely knew his Kenyan-born father.
Since his mother died from cancer over a decade ago, she was Obama's last surviving close older relative.
"Our family wants to thank all of those who sent flowers, cards, well-wishes, and prayers during this difficult time," the Obama family statement said.
"It brought our grandmother and us great comfort. Our grandmother was a private woman, and we will respect her wish for a small private ceremony to be held at a later date.
"In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer.
Dunham had been in fragile health, suffering from osteoporosis and cancer. Her health had further deteriorated after she recently broke her hip.
Along with his mother, Ann Dunham, a white American from Kansas, Madelyn Dunham raised Obama and grounded him despite his rocky childhood after his Kenyan-born father deserted the family.
Obama paid moving tribute to her in his Democratic National Convention speech in Denver in August.
"She's the one who taught me about hard work. 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," he said.
"She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well."
Unlike Obama's wife Michelle and young daughters Malia and Sasha, Obama's grandmother never entered the spotlight during the campaign due to her frail health.
The only direct contact voters have had with her is through old photographs showing a youthful Obama with his grandmother and grandfather, who served in the US army in World War II. Madelyn Dunham worked on a bomber production line.
But she did emerge as an issue in the campaign, when Obama brought her up in a key speech on race while a controversy swirled over the fiery and racially-tinged sermons of his former pastor Jeremiah Wright.
He said he could not any more disown Wright than he could his "white grandmother."
He said Dunham was "someone who "loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe."
This video is from CNN.com, broadcast November 3, 2008.
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