As the sexist and racist attacks against Kamala Harris pile on , theres one line of criticism that is particularly ripe for debunking. Thats the idea that Harris, Joe Bidens running mate for president, is some kind of affirmative action hire, chosen not on her merits but as a box-checking exercise for the woke crowd, as Fox News Laura Ingraham put it.

The implication here is that Harris isnt qualified for the role. Of course thats absurd.

Harris has more than a decade of experience at the highest levels of government, including as San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general and as a senator from the most populous state in the country. Shes proven herself on the national stage, especially in her role on the Judiciary Committee, where she won plaudits for her skillful questioning of Trump appointees.