That's very well articulated. He had no pretense and never came across as patronizing, at least in my (admittedly limited) sampling of old episodes via YouTube.
The "take others for exactly who they are" mentality captures his earnestness and utter lack of guile in his interactions. I'm sure you've seen him testify before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications to maintain funding for PBS [0], but I'll leave this link here anyway, for others who might not have seen this.
It was also clear to me that he was truly willing to devote as much of his attention as possible to another person for a solid minute or two. Not long at all, but it feels like an eternity when you see his non-judgmental, undistracted gaze locked in.
The "take others for exactly who they are" mentality captures his earnestness and utter lack of guile in his interactions. I'm sure you've seen him testify before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications to maintain funding for PBS [0], but I'll leave this link here anyway, for others who might not have seen this.
[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKy7ljRr0AA