The New York Times published an in-depth, five-page profile piece on Joe Sestak this weekend. It’s a worthwhile read, from the standpoint of getting to know the man who’s trying to make things competitive in Pennsylvania in a year when the odds are sorely against him.

Of all the intangibles in this senate race, the one least discussed but perhaps most important is Sestak’s campaign demeanor and ability to relate to the Pennsylvania electorate.

Pat Toomey is a former investment banker, and he looks like a former investment banker. Sestak, despite his sometimes awkward oratory, looks and feels like the kind of guy who might be your neighbor, who might stop by your barbeque later, who you might enjoy a beer with.

He’s down-home.

Cue the fawning coverage from the New York Times:

Sestak’s approach to campaigning falls somewhere between tireless and maniacal. …
He nearly ran over a toddler at one point, and another time I had to step out of his way to avoid a collision. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He had not bothered to apply sunscreen, so his face and neck browned, then reddened. When his left foot cramped and he started to limp, he commented that maybe the loafers he was wearing were not the best shoes for running.