I think you’re right about Obama/Biden overcompensating. Remember in 2000 Al Gore tried out 3 different personages during the 3 debates, and enough voters decided Gore was too freaky-deaky to vote for.
The funniest was when Gore walked up to Bush during the town hall style debate in an attempt to intimidate him by getting in his space.
Bush looked over at him and nodded like “what do you want a##hole”?