The one thing I noticed in the pic, is an absense of ANY ash trays. I’ve smoked for years (not in the last 4 months) and a lighter and an ash tray are usually required in an apartment or home setting to “have a smoke”.
And back in the day (when folks still “lit up” inside a dwelling, if seated on a couch, you sometimes needed to actually “hold” your ash tray.
IMHO, Obama’s “buddy” looks like he could be holding an ash tray with his right hand. Notice the height of the “cig fingers” the TOTAL height of the hand from the leg, and the extention downward and out of his thumb and remaining fingers, which appear to be grasping or clutching something square.
Usually when holding someone’s hand, your fingers are not “required” to remain straight and stiff, and most people “curve” or “curl” them with their grasp to show “closeness”.
That looks like an “ash tray” grip to me.
Lol, no more comments from me on this
I recall being on a jury once that was like this thread!!
You might have solved the mystery!
Good point, except look closely again.
I think you’re correct about the hand on roomie’s knee holding an ash tray in that photo, except that it’s O’s left hand. Roomie’s right hand is resting on O’s left thigh.
Try to sit in the same position as roomie, with your right leg as pictured and right hand on the bent knee. Fingers would be in an unnatural and uncomfortable position to replicate the photo, unless that’s O’s left hand.
And he is left handed.