Baggage aside (and given we've had Hillary as the nominee, baggage is clearly not a bar) he gives me that same slimy charm feeling I got from John Edwards (or, speaking of Clintons, Bill). There's a fine line between the Joe Biden grip-'n-grin (still smile every time I see that photo of the biker lady sitting on his lap and smiling while her son and husband, I assume, look on with mild disapproval) and just dripping insincerity or clear pandering (see Hillary "always carry my hot sauce with me"/taking a shot of Crown Royal). Whatever else I may criticize Biden for, I think he's the last of the sincere shaking hands/kissing babies old-school politicians. I think he lives for that stuff. We should leave the false veneer types for the MAGA crowd.
Speaking of politicians who come off as insincere and scripted. I'd have bet money we'd see a gay President before a black one, so don't think that's a bar (it's not a plus in the General, but it's not a bar). But you need people to believe you're a person with some core beliefs, and he's like Newsom in that "feels like he came from career politician central casting" department. Not a scientific criticism by any means, but there are some politicians (Newsom, Buttigieg, I'd add Cory Booker to that list) who feel like they'd agree to or say they believe anything if it would get them to the next rung on the ladder. I'd vote for any of them against Trump, but I wouldn't want to.
Picture for fun:
Biden.jpg