Barack Obama appears for jury duty but court says no thanks

Former US President Barack Obama was summoned for jury duty on Wednesday -- he went -- but the Chicago court dismissed him soon after.

Obama was the only potential juror to arrive by motorcade, with tight security.

Several news media and court staff tried to get a picture with him.

"He gorgeous!" one court clerk exclaimed upon spotting the former president, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Potential juror Kelly Bulik told the newspaper she felt like a "piece of melting butter" as she shook his hand.

"Thanks everybody for serving on the jury. Or, at least being willing to," Obama said. Apparentlyeverybody laughed.

Obama is not the first former US president to be summoned for jury duty, AFP reported.

George W Bush was also summoned in 2015 but like Obama,he too was dismissed.

Oprah Winfrey though served as a juror on a three-day murder trial ending in a conviction in 2004, again in Chicago.

Jury dutyis not really thought of as something desirable in the US.