Everyone else may have an ax to grind about Elian's fate, but abuelitas are above politics, they're above the INS, they're above Castro. Elian's case under any circumstances would be difficult. His mother died trying to find a better life for herself and her son. Any kid knows that he or she can always get a sympathetic ear with grandma. Grandmas and grandpas dote on their grandkids.
Parents have to be the bad guys on occasion.
They have to be responsible for raising adults. But grandparents, just like my grandmother, accept kids exactly as they are, just kids. And kids know this and take advantage. We ate off TV trays while we watched cartoons all Saturday morning, a definite no-no at our house. She let us lay on the sofa, a thing that got you a quick whack back home.