CHARLESTON, South Carolina — Joe Biden repeatedly invoked Barack Obama during campaign events before mainly-black audiences in South Carolina. When asked whether he was relying too much on his links to the former president he chuckled — and then dropped Obama’s name again.

Confronted with Sen. Kamala Harris’ quip that voters won’t make a decision based on “who we’re associated with," Biden chuckled at the accusation that he name-drops Obama because he can’t stand on his own.

“I say let’s talk about the future instead of talking about the past,” the former vice president said. “That’s what this is all about, it’s about the future. And I am ready to debate healthcare and Obamacare, whether that's the way to go ... Education, climate change, that’s what I want to debate.”

Biden stressed his connection to Obama during several events in South Carolina, who remains popular among Democrats in a state where a majority of Democratic primary voters are black. Some analysts say he is making Obama his de facto running mate.

“When I talk about the Obama years, my opponents talk about it, it’s ancient history,” Biden complained in a Sumter, South Carolina speech on Saturday.

Speaking to those at a Morris Brown African Methodist Episcopal Church service on Sunday, Biden noted that he “served with great honor" under Obama for eight years.

Harris snubbed Biden’s Obama name-dropping in comments she made to reporters on Saturday.

“When it comes time for people to pull the lever, they’re gonna make their decisions not just based on who we’re associated with, but on the work we’ve done and our plan for the future,” Harris said.

