'This was the play?' Ralph Northam takes the 'some of my best friends are black' defense to another level [photo]

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam doesn’t seem to have suffered any long-term political consequences for that whole blackface/KKK photo scandal, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand the importance of doing damage control.

Apparently here’s a new tactic he’s trying:

Paws for a moment and help us welcome the newest addition to the Executive Mansion and First Puppy of Virginia, Pearl! Murphy looks forward to having a new pal to help with his official First Dog duties. ? pic.twitter.com/9rO6QD1Vjn

— Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) November 21, 2019

We see what you did there, Coonman.

cmon https://t.co/OavIaMzHU5

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) November 21, 2019

I mean really, this was the play? pic.twitter.com/Z29mtEidz2

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) November 21, 2019

You have got to be kidding me https://t.co/xmaX6WhgOF

— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) November 21, 2019

Hey, desperate times …

Ah yes, the “I’m not racist, one of my best friend’s is black” tweet we’ve all been waiting for from Ralph Northam. https://t.co/F1xPYSOYZO

— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) November 21, 2019

Wow. Northam forcing his dog to wear blackface smh https://t.co/mve9SNiUXN

— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) November 21, 2019

Even your dog wears blackface?

— The Probe (@BanalProbe) November 21, 2019

Oh you got a golden retriever. https://t.co/PIP6crCF7a

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) November 21, 2019

Is this a yellow lab in blackfur? https://t.co/wJbkS3kUTL

— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) November 21, 2019

Everyone in Northam's life dresses like they're black https://t.co/2cJkLyvRSX

— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) November 21, 2019

It's actually a white puppy https://t.co/169P7h1duz

— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) November 21, 2019

What the dog looked like before Northam adopted him… pic.twitter.com/wUE9amQweZ

— Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) November 21, 2019

Photo of Pearl after her first bath. So cute. https://t.co/GoKGaakuAL pic.twitter.com/fXgbVGtfZI

— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) November 21, 2019

Snort.

Ralph, isn’t this the one you ordered? pic.twitter.com/HSjTPlooj0

— A wonderful ChristMatt time (@ShoeInTheBox) November 21, 2019

Better luck next time, Ralph!