The daddy of all political superstars
Opinion: It probably struck an odd note with many Kiwis that Barack Obama spent two days on a golf course with former prime minister Sir John Key before he and Jacinda Ardern got face time.
It might also seem odd that Ardern was not among the 900 guests attending a glitzy dinner for the former United States president last night. But it underscores the nature of Obama’s visit.
He is still a rock star on the world stage. That star power is marketing gold and has been firmly protected by his sponsors, including Air New Zealand.
For Ardern, devoting an evening listening to Obama speak, on top of their one-on-one session, would have looked like overkill.
Apart from anything else, attending would have put her in an uncomfortable position.
The rules imposed by Air NZ and Obama’s marketing team include a rule of no social media, no photographs and no recordings regarding what the president said at last night’s dinner.
That’s to protect Obama’s corporate sponsors, who paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring him here, with a promise of exclusive access for the who’s who of New Zealand’s rich and famous making up the guest list.
But it doesn’t sit well with a public figure like Ardern.
The po¯ whiri at Government House was an indication that Obama still has stature in New Zealand, even though it was not an official state welcome.
But Obama’s lack of public engagements reinforces that this was very much a private visit. It was also a long time coming. From their first meeting, Obama promised Key he would make it to New Zealand some day. But the American leader was never able to make his promise of a visit work with his diary.
Their personal chemistry eventually paid off for Air New Zealand however, when Key was able to call up Obama and persuade him to finally make that visit. A lucrative speaking fee also helped.
But, as Ardern herself noted, there was still plenty for her to learn from Obama, as one rookie world leader to a former world leader, not least of which was some advice on parenting.
She asked Obama how he dealt with the guilt of being a parent and a world leader. His reply: ‘‘Do the best you can.’’
Which is probably useful advice, even if it is low on symbolism.