Obama's white grandmother--the woman who largely raised and nurtured him--is still alive. She is 82 and lives alone in a modest Hawaii apartment. Since Obama decided it was to his personal and professional advantage to be "black", white Grandma remains off stage. If one googles "Obama" and "grandmother", one will get scads of stories/photo ops about the African woman who may or may not be Obama's blood grandma on dad's side. He met her once or twice, on trips to Kenya. But the grandmother who made Obama's breakfasts,ironed his school clothes and took him to the dentist remains in purdah. What an ungrateful, racist little twerp!
Yes, the presidency as therapy. That's the ticket.
Its all about timing. The grandmother will be trotted out once the primaries are over and if Obama wins. From then on he will need to broaden his appeal, but until that time she is best tucked far far away.
Maybe I am being too cynical.