BARACK Obama has promised to come back to Scotland only if the weather worsens – after he enjoyed a round of golf in blistering temperatures more akin to his birthplace of Hawaii.
The former US president made his comments at a charity fundraising dinner in Edinburgh after flying in amid tight security from his game at St Andrews, where the temperature reached more than 25C.
Charismatic Mr Obama, in his first ever visit to Scotland, told an audience of 1,200 people that included First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, author JK Rowling and other VIPs that he had met The Queen and played ping pong with David Cameron during a visit to the UK seven years ago.
But he continued: “But one thing had eluded me. I had never been to Scotland until today.
“I promise you I will be back because unless it is raining and blustery, I will not feel I have got the full Scottish experience.”
He then turned to his host, the philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter, who organised the £5,000 a table event at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, which will see profits split between Scottish children's charities and the Obama Foundation and told him: “Thank you for arranging 80 degree weather when I was playing at St Andrews.
“Whoever was in charge of that, thank you.”
However, Mr Obama, who stepped down after eight years at the White House in January, did not reveal his scorecard, but praised his caddy ‘Stevie’. He added: “The people are fabulous. My caddy was terrific. Stevie did a great job today so I am going to give him a shout.”
Asked by Sir Tom what he thought about Scotland, he added that the country “had a lot to offer the world”. He added: “It is just important we [you] know that and feel confident.”
Mr Obama was presented on stage with a sporran and kilt which he was told had the colours of Hawaii, his political heartland of Chicago, and Kenya, his father’s birth country.
But the 44th president of the US dampened any suggestion that he would be seen in it soon. He added to laughter from the audience: “Unfortunately, I have concluded my legs are too thin to pull it off, but those [tartan] trousers I have seen you wear . I think they look pretty good. So I might try some.”
Mr Obama said that Obamacare, his health care policies, had been one of his gratifying achievements in his eight years in office.
He also made remarks that appeared to contrast with his successor Donald Trump’s immigration policies after he imposed a blanket ban on people travelling to the US from a number of mainly Muslim countries earlier this year.
Mr Obama discussed the need to deal with immigration compassionately, but also to put in “orderly processes” while “recognising it is good for our societies to be continually renewed”.
He talked of the rapid pace of technological change and highlighted the need to help workers whose jobs might be threatened by the rise of artificial intelligence in the future.
He also discussed the risky operation to kill Osama bin Laden at the terror chief’s Pakistan compound in May 2011.
Mr Obama said it had initially appeared a “50/50” proposition as to whether it would be a success. But once he became confident the team of Navy Seals could be got in and out safely, it ultimately became a question of political risk rather than loss of life. Mr Obama also touched on equality and highlighted climate change.
Other guests included RBS chief executive Ross McEwan, writer and broadcaster Muriel Gray and Olympian Katherine Grainger. Outside, hundreds of people waited in vain to catch a glimpse of Mr Obama, who arrived into Edinburgh Airport by private jet.
However, there was one subject the former president did not bring up. He talked about the importance for Scotland, the UK and the US of the US-Europe relationship, but on one subject close to many Scots' hearts he would only say: “I certainly won’t wade into the Scottish referendum."
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