You know your message is over the top when Russian state media outlets are dunking on you for its heavy-handedness.

By the end of the year, Biden’s social media accounts will be nothing but photos of him and Obama together. No text, just pics. Frankly, after watching him and his aides spend the last few days pratfalling over the Hyde Amendment, that may be his best play at the debates. When he’s asked about his reversal on taxpayer-funded abortions, he should just hold up a photo of him and O with their arms around each other.

“Any questions?”

Happy #BestFriendsDay to my friend, @BarackObama. pic.twitter.com/JTd1t7NtyL

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 9, 2019

He asked for Obama’s endorsement before the campaign by passing him a note that read, “Do you like me? If yes, check this box.”

At least one prominent Obama/Biden alum was vicariously embarrassed:

This is a joke, right?

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) June 9, 2019

In fact, notes Daniel Chaitin, this isn’t the first time Biden’s posted that photo. He also did it on Obama’s birthday in August 2016, when their terms as president and VP were winding down. At the time, in that context, it was a sweetly goofy tribute to a buddy. Now, in a different context, it reeks of Biden piggybacking on Obama’s popularity within the party to get a leg up on the rest of the field, especially among black voters. And not for the first time, of course. “Dude is 70-whatever years old and his campaign pitch is mostly ‘I’m totally BFFs with that guy you like,'” sniffed journalist David Bernstein about Biden’s tweet.

It’ll probably work, though! In fact, it is working. Sort of. For now.

Joe Biden leads as the top choice of likely participants in the first-in-the-nation Iowa Democratic caucuses, but his advantage there is smaller than the one he has held in recent national polling, even as just five candidates out of a field of 23 crack 5% support…

Overall, 24% say they favor the former vice president, with 16% backing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, 15% Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and 14% South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. California Sen. Kamala Harris rounds out the five over 5% with 7% support…

Beyond Biden’s lower overall support, the poll also suggests some warning signs for him beneath those numbers. His supporters are less apt than others to say they are “extremely enthusiastic” about him (29% vs. 39% for backers of all other candidates, and 43% among those backing his nearest competition in Sanders, Warren or Buttigieg). He also remains the best-known candidate in the field, suggesting he has less room to grow than other candidates who Iowa’s Democratic caucusgoers are still getting to know.

Biden’s strength is perceived electability, but electability ranked just fourth out of seven when Iowa Dems were asked which qualities they found most desirable in a potential nominee. Which makes sense, actually: Because they vote first, Iowans may feel less pressure to focus on the bottom line of defeating Trump and more willing to indulge their ideological favorites. If so, Biden’s in more trouble than anyone realizes. All it would take to puncture his “electability” balloon nationally would be a series of early losses. And the early states, as I say, may be less susceptible to his electability pitch to begin with.

Via Newsweek, here he is last October referencing the friendship bracelet again in a campaign appearance for Andrew Gillum. He’s actually right, I believe — Obama did the bracelet first.

Joe Biden on Barack Obama: "All those memes? All those memes are basically true. Except I want to make it clear: Barack did the first friendship bracelet, not me." https://t.co/NkJuIoh4fP pic.twitter.com/Fpk09BFwRH

— ABC News (@ABC) October 22, 2018