The most astute analysis of America today that I have heard came from a tangential high school acquaintance. This woman is autistic and has become a supporter of Greta Thunberg, the young Scandinavian climate activist. Upon sharing her enthusiasm for Ms. Thunberg, she was surprised to see that many people she spoke with disliked Ms. Thunberg.
Her conclusion: For better or worse ANYONE that becomes an iconic figure in this epoch will end up being both loved and hated. So what may be needed is someone that is not an icon, someone that will inspire neither intense passion or dense disdain.
Biden was, seemingly, the first choice of few in the Primary and barely registered in his two previous attempts. He was an astute VP Pick for Obama in providing both the experience and the doubling down on what time has proven to be the weakest element of the 08 and 12 Obama Coalition: northern white’s without college degrees. Still, it seems that few truly adore Biden; he doesn’t have a signature policy idea like Andrew Yang or a unique ideological spunk like Bernie Sanders. His “baseball card” stats of ethnicity, religion and all the rest are not those deemed unusual or unique. Yet, somehow, over pertinear five decades as a workhorse politico including three national campaigns, it is still really hard to hate or even dislike Joe Biden.
Non-dislikeability. That is Joe’s super power. In age filled with “small time Napoleons” trying to navigate their own platforms to become icons or perhaps the next Keith Raniere, it is a rare superpower indeed. Not that one that anyone wants, but, methinks, the one America needs.
Polemic® 