During his year-end trip to Hawaii, President Barack Obama joined his longtime friend Bobby Titcomb – convicted two years ago on solicitation of prostitution – nearly every day of the trip for golfing at Mid-Pacific Country Club in Honolulu, as well as a barbecue and some college basketball.
President Barack Obama sits with longtime friend Bobby Titcomb during the Oregon State University versus University of Akron college basketball game at the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. Michelle Obama's bother, Craig Robinson, is the coach of Oregon State. The first family is in Hawaii for their annual holiday vacation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Titcomb joined the president on the golf course along with the usual cast of golfers that included Obama friends and White House aides on Monday, just as he has since Dec. 21 when the first family began their outing.
Obama and Titcomb have known one another since high school.
On Saturday, Obama and his family attended a barbecue at Titcomb’s home.
On Dec. 22, Titcomb attended a college basketball game with the Obama family and the Michelle Obama’s family, the Robinsons, to see Akron take on Oregon in a game held there. The first lady’s brother Craig Robinson is the Oregon State basketball coach.
In the summer of 2011, the then-49-year-old Titcomb pleaded no contest to soliciting a prostitute in Hawaii. The judge agreed to dismiss the case in six months if Titcomb stayed out of trouble and paid a $500 fine, the Associated Press reported. The AP quoted Titcomb’s attorney saying his client didn’t fully agree with the facts of the case against him, but wanted to move on.
Others who golfed with the president over the last two weeks, according to the press pool report, were White House aides Marvin Nicholson and Sam Kass. It also included Chicago friends, medical executive Eric Whitaker and investors Marty Nesbitt and Andrew Dibble. Mike Ramos, who like Titcomb, was friends with Obama going back to high school, was also on the links with the group Monday.
Obama golfed with generally the same group of people each time, but Titcomb made every outing, as did Nicholson.
According to pool reports, the same group golfed on Sunday and Thursday golfed minus Dibble. On Christmas Eve, former White House aide Reggie Love joined the Obama, Titcomb, Ramos, Nicholson, Whitaker and Kass for golf. On Dec. 23, Obama golfed with just Titcomb, Nicholson and Whitaker. On Dec. 21, Obama golfed with Nicholson, Kass and Titcomb.
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