Are you sure people aren’t calling Booker articulate for no other reason than that he is…articulate?
This is not exactly a rare thing to say about a well-spoken politican. Here are a few examples (intentionally picking white men only, since presumably they are the least likely to be called “articulate” out of shock at cultural biases being violated):
Buttigieg is called articulate:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/06/17/buttigieg-shows-solid-judgment-key-issues/?utm_term=.2779a2c22c63
https://www.apnews.com/0c20f0e8654f45aca66e0e91e118352d
O’Rourke is called articulate (see subtitle):
Forbes ranks candidates by how articulate they are (in 2007), with Obama winning and Fred Thompson coming in 2nd:
Cory Booker expresses himself well; this is worth noting and complimenting, since if all else is equal, expressiveness is a benefit.
I don’t see why he should be denied appropriate admiration for his verbal skill. That would seem quite unfair. So how should it be expressed, if not in the standard way?