Storming the beach at Waikiki ...

The kid behind him with the menacing stick is about to get a visit from the Secret Service.  

"Lanny! Put that stick down!" Mrs. Davis cried from across the beach.

Wow, STRONG family resemblance. His grandfather at whatever age he was in that picture looks a LOT like Obama does now. Just a slightly whiter shade of pale. Interesting mix in that guy's looks, let alone the rest of him.

WoodyB:  :-)

Yeah, rambo. Honest to gosh, my first thought on seeing the photo was, "Who's the black kid with Obama?" What a great family photo.

However, I hope Obama doesn't turn his grandpappy in Patton's army into his version of John Edwards's dad in the mill. It'd be great if everyone heard that story about Obama's family. Once.

the guy must have been pretty special. it is a pity there weren't more people like him then.

Rhubarbs: That is what I thought on first glance, too.

As a rule, I think there are too many taboos in place so to make people "respect the dead", but this makes me slightly uncomfortable. There's nothing wrong with visiting a relative's grave, obviously, but that he has to do so to emphasize the fact that, yes, he cares about his country, well, it's disgusting. I wish he wouldn't do it. I also wish he didn't have to do it. That he does have to, ironically, does not reflect well on the country he's taking absurd pains to praise and flatter.

Whatever. He had a grandfather who served in WWII and who was cool with having a black grandkid. What's wrong with honoring the memory of such a man?

blackton: I think you have a distorted image of America. Look at Martin Luther King in 1963 - in that million people or so marching in downtown Washington, there were a lot of whites. I think you are unfair, at the very least to the generation of Americans who were adults in the '60s. And it is in the '60s that the picture of Obama and his grandfather was taken.

Lovely pic --  Hawaii was farther from Virginia in more ways than miles (RIP Mildred Loving).  

It's not his "black" grandchild.  It's his biracial grandchild.  

Where do you find these adorable pictures?  The one of Hillary in pigtails was cute too.

Ha! Great pic, for damn sure, but TNR totally hotlinked it from ABC News! Come on, Plank, have you no e-shame? Where is your netiquette?

rutherfurd "It's not his "black" grandchild.  It's his biracial grandchild."

We are told every day that it is historic that there is a black candidate for president. You can't have it both ways.

Moreover, Obama is probably right on this one. In terms of discrimination, biracial people were every bit as black in Southern states.

Skipper, I say good on him for taking an opportunity.  He was clearly close to the man, and if it helps get him elected, I say do it.  It's so funny how his detractors say he can't run a decent race, and now that he is, complain that he's doing what all politicians do: exploiting an opportunity.  

rutherford,

Take it easy on sleepy. This is the first time I've seen him/her post things that weren't just flat-out batshit insane and abusive toward others.

hear hear