Barack Obama reveals how he once had a ‘crush’ on a Qantas flight attendant

Barack Obama revealed he was once ‘in love’ with a Qantas flight attendant – as he embarked on his lucrative tour of Australia on Tuesday night.

The ex-US president sat down with former Secretary of State Julie Bishop in Sydney, with people paying hundreds to hear him talk about leadership and other issues, including China.

The sold-out crowd had to wait more than 20 minutes for the event to start, after it was postponed because ‘massive’ queues were still trying to get into the International Convention Center at 7.45pm.

Despite the delay, Obama received a standing ovation from the audience after taking the stage to the sounds of Stevie Wonder.

The ovation was in stark contrast to earlier on Tuesday, when Sydney residents berated the ex-president for the huge motorcade that carried him and his wife Michelle across the city.

Obama opened his speech by greeting Sydney and describing his love for the city.

“Sydney is fantastic, we’ve had such a great time here, it’s one of the greatest cities in the world.”

Discussing his first visit as an eight-year-old, he added, “I was traveling from Indonesia, where my mother lived at the time, to my grandparents in Hawaii and I was traveling unaccompanied,” he said, describing his first trip. .

“We had to stop for a day for the connecting flight and the Qantas flight attendant took very good care of me.”

“I was very much in love with her,” he said.

‘I felt very sophisticated, very worldly, traveling alone and so that’s my first association with Sydney.

“And it gets better every time I come back.”

Hosted by Ms. Bishop, the 66-year-old spared no expense, appearing in a Carla Zampatti cream suit worth a total of $1,848.

In addition to the sold-out audience, about 500 people tuned in to the talk online, with tickets to purchase a link to the stream selling for about $400.

It is the first leg of a whistle-stop tour in which the former president will also speak in Melbourne on Wednesday.

The event offers Australians – willing to spend between $195 and $895 – a first-hand account of the politician on his “path to success”.

Wiradjuri wife Yvonne Weldon gave a welcome to the country before Mr Obama and Ms Bishop walked on stage to loud applause.

The former president was questioned by Ms. Bishop on China’s rise, he complimented President Xi Jinping on his “powerful and confident” demeanor.

Obama said China began to change “after I left office,” with the country beginning to address freedoms within its borders after President Xi sensed the next US leader – Donald Trump – would be more lenient.

“With my successor taking office, I think he saw an opportunity because the US president didn’t seem to care that much about a rules-based international system,” Obama said.

“And as a result, I also think China’s attitude, we can take advantage of what appears to be a vacuum internationally on many of these issues.”

He said the relationship between the US and China is “significantly strained” and tensions “are not likely to subside any time soon.”

“They shouldn’t either, because I think there are some fundamental differences in the way we operate when you look at the South China Sea,” he told the crowd.

“The fact is that if China starts claiming what used to be international waters, it will make life difficult for its neighbors, and for everyone, in the long run, I don’t even think it will be good for China.”

Obama and his wife Michelle arrived in Australia on Sunday evening ahead of his tour and have since visited several venues, including the Opera House and Balmoral Beach.

The ex-president was spotted enjoying an afternoon coffee on Tuesday, while Michelle took to Mosman Bay in a yacht, cruising around the harbor for about an hour.

However, the pair have come under fire from the locals who have shot down the ‘troublesome’ motorcade transporting them across town.

Some have asked for information on who pays for the black four-wheel drive convoy, while others question why Obama has such a large security presence for an ex-president.

However, the lucrative nature of the event drew some criticism from some Sydney residents who were unhappy with his motorcade.

On social media, one critic asked, “Barack Obama is running across the country in a 20-vehicle motorcade.

Why is the NSW taxpayer bearing the cost of his detail? For God’s sake, he’s going to make $1 million or more from his speeches, so HE has to pay for it.’

Another wrote, “One can only hope that Barack Obama and his wife Michael waved to the homeless as he sped by in his taxpayer-funded motorcade.”

While a third said, ‘Flying on a private jet. Uses so many gas guzzlers & our cops because he’s ‘oh so important’.

“Teach us the lesson about climate change.”

Obama was welcomed by swarms of fans Tuesday morning as he stepped out of the Four Seasons Hotel.

The security presence around the former president was massive on Tuesday, with throngs of police officers lining the streets outside the Four Seasons.

President Obama’s last official visit to Australia was for the G20 summit in Brisbane in November 2014 – and prior to disembarking from a private jet with Michelle on Sunday, he hadn’t been seen in public with his wife since last year.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese received Obama at Kirribilli House on Monday morning.

The presidential couple were all smiles as they posed for the camera together, taking in the view by the harbor while holding black umbrellas amid a subtle drizzle.

“Honored to welcome President @barackobama to Sydney,” Albanese wrote the post on Twitter, which has since been viewed more than a million times.

President Obama’s last official visit to Australia was for the G20 summit in Brisbane in November 2014 – and prior to disembarking from a private jet with Michelle on Sunday, he hadn’t been seen in public with his wife since last year.