‘Anybody who’s ever been around Joe Biden has been touched by him – literally’

It was a campaign moment I will never forget.

I was in Connecticut covering the August 2006 Democratic primary between then-Sen. Joe Lieberman and his insurgent liberal challenger, Ned Lamont. Then-Sen. Joe Biden, of Delaware, and a few other Senate colleagues were visiting from Washington to buck up their friend.

We were at an outdoor event in Glastonbury, the sun blazing overhead, and I noticed the senators standing around chatting. I walked over and introduced myself. Senator Biden greeted me warmly – and then threw a sweaty arm over my shoulder, and gave me a squeeze. I cringed a little internally; I had never met Mr. Biden before. But I chalked the overly friendly gesture up to his personal style, and maybe a generational difference. I proceeded to interview the senators, but the thing I remember most vividly is Mr. Biden’s sweaty arm.