Brush with Barack

– Melissa Grant
IMMENSE security and big crowds didn’t stop Natasha Boloski from catching a glimpse of American president Barack Obama in Washington DC last week.
While most Australians watched Obama’s inauguration on the box, Ms Boloski was lucky enough to attend the historical event in person.
The Pakenham resident got within 15 metres of the president’s shiny Cadillac, but couldn’t see through the car’s tinted windows.
“I couldn’t see him but I knew he was in the car,” she said.
But Ms Boloski – nestled within a sea of people – could just see Obama as he took the oath of office.
She said security was immense at the event which was beamed onto television screens all over the world.
“The gates opened at 8 and I didn’t get through until 11.15am,” she said.
And large crowds made it difficult to get to and from the event.
“After the inauguration I had to walk an hour or so to get back to my hotel because I couldn’t get on a train,” she said.
Ms Boloski was last year selected to attend the president’s inauguration and an associated five-day Presidential Youth Leadership Council conference.
Obama is the second world figure Ms Boloski has seen in the flesh. She got within about three metres of Pope Benedict XVI’s vehicle when he visited Sydney for World Youth Day last year.