Former US President Barack Obama has revealed a longstanding affection for a Qantas flight attendant during his ongoing visit to Australia. During talks that ranged from US relations with China, Donald Trump’s impact on global politics, and the highs and lows of the top job, Obama let slip that he had a soft spot for a certain airline employee…
Barack Obama has long been revered for his oh-so-cool approach to political life and unwavering faith in the underdog, even when it comes to his choice of wrist candy. One thing you may not so readily associate the 44th President of the United States with, however, is the kind of salacious rumours about his love life that are normally reserved for the beaus and beauties of reality TV.
However, during a wide-ranging speaking tour that has covered a number of topics including, but not limited to, the keys to great leadership and the world’s geopolitical future, including the rise of China, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Obama may have let something slip that could see him getting a firm slap on the wrist from wife Michelle…
During this particular speaking event, which was delayed due to “massive” queues trying to get into the International Convention Centre and eventually saw around 9000 people attend the talk – with some paying upwards of $895 for a platinum package that includes a welcome cocktail, a commemorative lanyard, and a signed copy of Obama’s book – Obama spoke on his earliest memories of Australia…
“I was travelling from Indonesia where my mother was living at the time, to my grandparents in Hawaii and I was travelling unaccompanied,” he said. And this is where the unknowing mystery woman steps into the fray…
“We had to stop for a day for the connecting flight and Qantas stewardess took very good care of me”, providing the future leader of the free world with Coca-Cola while he browsed through comic books – a simpler time in his life, it seems.
WATCH the Qantas ad that’s got Australians emotional below.
“I had a big crush on her,” Obama admitted, to the delight of his Sydney audience, before going on to lavish further praise upon Australia:
“I felt very sophisticated, very worldly, travelling on my own and so that‘s my first association with Sydney…. It just keeps getting better every time I come back.”
Barack Obama
The talk did, however, cover many far more serious topics, including US relations with China, laying the blame for the recent strain of said relations on his successor Donal Trump, actually praising the Chinese leader Xi Jinping as “forceful and confident”.
He also spoke on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the broader spread of Putin’s authoritarianism, both in Russia and around the world. He also ruminated on his somewhat failed efforts to increase gun control in the US, calling the Sandy Hook massacre a low point of his presidency.
Though these heavier issues took up much of the talk’s duration, we couldn’t help but wonder about who the Qantas heartthrob was and where she might be today. Most importantly, does she have any idea that she stole the heart of one of the world’s most beloved and powerful men? We’ll likely never know.
All we do know is that if she can get us upgraded to the stunning new Qantas First and Business suites, we’re more than happy to confess to an extramarital crush in front of a 10,000-strong audience…