The Biden family’s collectively tragedy was always going to be a big part of the campaign’s DNA, and it does soften some of Biden’s unlikeable qualities — he can be cringey in his remarks on race and of course, he’s a career politicians with longtime presidential ambitions, which most people find to be a turnoff. But obviously, the losses resonate so much more during the pandemic. That’s been what tonight has been about. And it softens the ground for Biden to speak.
