I am a huge geek #4292: That middle panel under the desk exists thanks to which President? FDR.
(Hence the iconic photo of JFK, Jr. under his father’s desk.)
FDR didn’t want the media to take photos of him in his wheelchair (that he had custom-made himself), so they created a panel to match the existing desk. In fact, he had his car rigged up with hand controls so that the media would have minimal images of him afflicted by Polio.
