ited ▁as ▁proof ▁that ▁B iden ' s ▁perce ived ▁in app ropri ate ▁behavior ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁eye ▁for ▁a ▁long ▁time ▁and ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁easy ▁or ▁mor ally ▁acceptable ▁to ▁minim ize ▁or ▁exc use . ▁Matthew ▁Y g les ias ▁at ▁V ox ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁discussion ▁about ▁B iden ▁and ▁women ▁had ▁raised ▁the ▁" issue " ▁of ▁" what ▁standard ▁of ▁conduct ▁is ▁acceptable ▁for ▁men ▁in ▁power " ▁and ▁that , ▁on ▁that ▁topic , ▁the ▁over arch ing ▁meaning ▁of ▁The ▁On ions ▁long - running ▁" jo ke " ▁about ▁B iden ▁had ▁been ▁that ▁the ▁vice ▁president ▁" re ally ▁was ▁an ▁old - school ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁Ob ama ▁White ▁House ". ▁ ▁Re actions ▁from ▁B iden ▁and ▁his ▁staff ▁ ▁B iden ▁public ly ▁commented ▁on ▁the ▁character ▁on ▁several ▁occasions , ▁generally ▁indicating ▁that ▁he ▁enjoyed ▁the ▁On ion ▁articles ▁about ▁him . ▁He ▁also ▁t ended ▁to ▁express ▁relief ▁that ▁the ▁character ▁was ▁so ▁rad ically ▁different ▁from ▁his ▁actual ▁person ality ▁and ▁pok ed ▁fun ▁at ▁the ▁On ion ▁B iden ' s ▁aff inity ▁for ▁the ▁Trans ▁Am . ▁Bey ond ▁his ▁public ▁comments , ▁On ion ▁staff ers ▁have ▁said ▁members ▁of ▁B iden ' s ▁staff ▁priv ately ▁convey ed ▁his ▁enjoy ment ▁of ▁the ▁character ▁to ▁them . ▁B iden ▁react ed ▁with ▁similar ▁appro val ▁to ▁most ▁com edic ▁port ray als ▁of ▁himself . ▁ ▁Will ▁T racy ,