▁On ions ▁diver gent ▁take ▁on ▁B iden ▁is ▁that ▁the ▁vice ▁president ▁holds ▁an ▁" awk ward ▁office " ▁in ▁a ▁support ▁role ▁to ▁the ▁president ' s ▁ag enda , ▁making ▁it ▁difficult ▁to ▁s ati ri ze ▁in ▁its ▁own ▁right . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁similar ities ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁B id ens ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁broad ▁out lines ▁of ▁their ▁image ▁and ▁person ality . ▁In ▁political ▁terms , ▁B iden ' s ▁reputation ▁as ▁a ▁liberal ▁popul ist ▁corresponds ▁to ▁the ▁character ' s ▁blue - col lar ▁life . ▁The ▁On ions ▁B iden ▁has ▁much ▁in ▁common ▁with ▁B iden ' s ▁image ▁as ▁a ▁" go of y ▁uncle " ▁and ▁his ▁nick name ▁" Un cle ▁Joe ". ▁A ▁head line ▁like ▁" B iden ▁Los es ▁Control ▁of ▁But ter fly ▁Kn ife ▁during ▁Com men cement ▁Spe ech " ▁is ▁an ▁extreme ▁ex agger ation ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁B iden ' s ▁perce ived ▁tra its , ▁like ▁his ▁" report ed ▁g aff es ▁and ▁generally ▁cas ual ▁de mean or ." ▁Mark ▁Le ib ov ich ▁said ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁character ' s ▁pla us ibility ▁st ems ▁from ▁the ▁contrast ▁between ▁B iden ' s ▁image ▁and ▁those ▁of ▁his ▁contempor aries , ▁pos ing ▁the ▁r het or ical ▁questions : ▁" W ould ▁The ▁On ion ▁put ▁a ▁sh irt less ▁John ▁Ker ry ▁was hing ▁a ▁Trans ▁Am ▁in ▁the ▁drive way ▁of ▁the ▁State