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Obama to visit sick grandmother Obama to break off from campaign
(20 minutes later)
US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is cancelling campaign events this week to visit his sick grandmother in Hawaii, an aide says. US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is to leave the campaign trail for two days to visit his sick grandmother in Hawaii.
The announcement came as Mr Obama made campaign stops in Florida, including a rare joint appearance with former rival Hillary Clinton. Madelyn Dunham, 85, who helped to raise Mr Obama, is said to be seriously ill.
In one speech he vowed to halt eviction of homeowners defaulting on mortgages. Mr Obama has spoken of their strong bond and has referred to her in some of his most powerful campaign speeches.
Republican John McCain attacked his rival's economic policies, and vowed to take the country in a new direction. BBC North America editor Justin Webb says despite Mr Obama's substantial lead over his rival, John McCain, his absence will make his staff nervous.
Campaigning in Missouri, another swing state, John McCain accused his Democratic rival of misleading the electorate by plotting to hike taxes. The 47-year-old Illinois senator is ahead in the polls with two weeks to go until election day but not sufficiently far ahead to be confident of victory, says our correspondent.
McCain insists it's not too late - he's invigorated at the moment, and seems to have renewed energy class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/matthewprice/">Matthew Price's blog At rallies on Monday, his Republican opponent pledged to do more to help homeowners defaulting on their mortgages, and said that, unlike Mr Obama, he would cut taxes to help create jobs.
Senator Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has always been one of the most important people in his life Roberts GibbsObama aide
Campaigning in the swing state of Missouri, the 72-year-old Arizona senator accused his Democratic rival of misleading the electorate by plotting to put up taxes.
"After months of campaign trail eloquence... we finally learned what Senator Obama's economic goal is... he wants to 'spread the wealth' around," Mr McCain said."After months of campaign trail eloquence... we finally learned what Senator Obama's economic goal is... he wants to 'spread the wealth' around," Mr McCain said.
"If I'm elected president I won't raise taxes on small businesses, Senator Obama will and that will force them to cut jobs." Mr Obama had been due to campaign in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Ohio on Thursday and Friday - both states he appears likely to win.
Mr McCain said he would tackle the housing crisis by "buying up bad mortgages and re-financing them" in order "to realise the American dream and keep people in their homes". Instead he will attend a campaign event in Indianapolis on Thursday before taking a flight to Honolulu.
'Ugly' campaign 'Heartland values'
Mr Obama's campaign said the candidate would leave the campaign trail on Thursday to visit his maternal grandmother, 85-year-old Madelyn Dunham. Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that on Friday, Mr Obama's wife, Michelle, would campaign for her husband in Ohio.
When Barack Obama finally emerged the crowd erupted - it was not applause but a roar, like one that greets a winning team or the full-throated cry of the fan class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/gavinhewitt/">Gavin Hewitt's blog The Democratic nominee is expected to resume campaigning on Saturday.
He is cancelling events in Des Moines, Iowa and Madison, Wisconsin for the visit. McCain insists it's not too late - he's invigorated at the moment, and seems to have renewed energy class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/matthewprice/">Matthew Price's blog
The condition of Ms Dunham, who helped to raise her grandson, is not clear although aide Robert Gibbs said her health had deteriorated in recent weeks. Mrs Dunham was released from the hospital late last week and her health had deteriorated "to the point where her situation is very serious", said Obama aide Robert Gibbs.
"Senator Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has always been one of the most important people in his life," Mr Gibbs said in a statement."Senator Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has always been one of the most important people in his life," Mr Gibbs said in a statement.
"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.""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."
Mr Obama spent the day in Florida, accusing the Republican camp of "ugly" campaigning but said he would not be "distracted" by it. In a campaign advertisement this year, Mr Obama described Mrs Dunham as the daughter of a Midwest oil company clerk who "taught me values straight from the Kansas heartland".
He focused his attention on the economy and those in Florida who have been hit hard by the mortgage crisis and financial slowdown. She is also the "white grandmother" he referred to in a speech on race at the time questions were being asked about his relationship with his former pastor Rev Jeremiah Wright.
"We have tried it John McCain's way. We have tried it George Bush's way. It hasn't worked. It's time for something new," Mr Obama said. At the time, Mr Obama said he could no more disown Mr Wright than he could disown his white grandmother - who once confessed her fear of black men who passed her on the street.
'Town criers' When Barack Obama finally emerged the crowd erupted - it was not applause but a roar, like one that greets a winning team or the full-throated cry of the fan class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/gavinhewitt/">Gavin Hewitt's blog
At one rally, Hillary Clinton joined her fellow Democrat on stage and urged the crowd of 50,000 supporters to "close the deal for Barack Obama". The development came as Mr Obama made campaign stops in Florida on Monday, including a rare joint appearance with his former rival Hillary Clinton.
"Sending the Republicans to clean up the economic mess in Washington is like sending the bull to clean up the china closet," she warned. He accused the Republican camp of "ugly" campaigning and kept his focus on the economy and those in the state who have been hit hard by the mortgage crisis.
Early voting
New York Senator Clinton joined her fellow Democrat on stage and urged a rally of 50,000 supporters to "close the deal for Barack Obama".
Voters in Florida head to the polls
It was the first time the pair - who were bitter rivals in the Democratic primaries - had appeared together since July.It was the first time the pair - who were bitter rivals in the Democratic primaries - had appeared together since July.
Mr Obama has been pushing early voting on a major scale, using speeches, e-mails and advertisements placed in popular video games.Mr Obama has been pushing early voting on a major scale, using speeches, e-mails and advertisements placed in popular video games.
Voters in Florida head to the polls
Officials in Florida were expecting a busy day.
Thousands of Mr Obama's volunteers have been mobilised, including "town criers" riding on public buses, offering lifts to college students, and neighbourhood teams to give voters a push.Thousands of Mr Obama's volunteers have been mobilised, including "town criers" riding on public buses, offering lifts to college students, and neighbourhood teams to give voters a push.
"There's too much at stake in this election to leave this responsibility to the last minute,'' said Steve Schale, Mr Obama's campaign director in Florida.
Meanwhile Mr McCain's campaign has opted to focus its efforts more selectively on supporters who do not always vote in presidential elections.Meanwhile Mr McCain's campaign has opted to focus its efforts more selectively on supporters who do not always vote in presidential elections.
The party believes it can count on more reliable voters to get to the polls on 4 November, Rich Beeson, political director for the Republican National Committee, told the Associated Press news agency.
About a third of US electors in 2008 are expected to cast their vote early.About a third of US electors in 2008 are expected to cast their vote early.
The process has grown in popularity in recent years, as people have become more familiar with it.
Early voting provisions have been expanded and restrictions on absentee ballots eased.
Registered voters can either cast their ballots in person or by mail, thus avoiding queues at polling stations on election day.