Joe Biden’s father led the high life as a young man: yachts, fast cars, polo. But his fortunes ran out, thanks to a few bad business deals.

Eventually, he got a job managing a used car dealership. But at the office Christmas party, the owner decided to issue bonuses by taking a bucket of silver dollars and strewing them across the dance floor, forcing the employees to scramble about on their knees picking up the loot.

Joe Biden Sr. and his wife got up instantly and walked out of that job. Desperate as he was, he could not work for someone who didn’t respect people’s dignity. This is the first fact about Joe Biden Jr.: He came from a principled family, and he and his wife have nurtured a principled family. Covering his past presidential campaigns was like covering a rolling Biden family reunion.

There were sometimes more Bidens at the rallies than voters.

One of the hallmarks of the Biden family is emotional transparency — you know what they’re feeling. But another is this: We treat everyone the same. Joe Biden has spent nearly his entire adult life in the Senate or as vice president, but no one could fairly accuse him of being haughty or elitist. People still have the instinct to call him Joe. Average Joe.