I don’t think that it’s funny. The dark side of possibilities is that Biden’s handlers know that the fix is in already; Newsom could assult a nun on live TV tonight in prime time and he would still somehow win. Biden’s people want some of that “winner” coattail after...”a tough week”. And, I suspect that the planned victory lap for 9/11 is off for Joe, so he has some free time in the schedule to be put on display...
OR, the Dems are actually panicking and grasping at straws, in this case, a straw man, for help. This will be a stone around Newsom’s neck. Playing to the base only goes so far. The “base” is still only 30%. The rest of us are genuinely repelled.
In their mind Joe is a titan with success after success including Afghanistan.