WASHINGTON--Barack Obama is heading off the campaign trail to Hawaii to visit his ailing 85-year-old grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday night.
"Senator Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has always been one of the most important people in his life. Along with his mother and his grandfather, she raised him in Hawaii from the time he was born until the moment he left for college. As he said at the Democratic Convention, she poured everything she had into him," Gibbs said in a statement.
"Recently, his Grandmother has become ill, and in the last few weeks, her health has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious. It is for that reason that Senator Obama has decided to change his schedule on Thursday and Friday so that he can see her and spend some time with her.
"He will be returning the the campaign trail on Saturday."
The campaign said Michelle Obama will hold events in place of Obama in Akron, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio on Friday. When Obama returns to the campaign trail on Saturday morning he will head out west.
Lynn Sweet is a columnist and the Washington Bureau Chief for the 
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