Aaannnnnd, it’s begun. The ritual trashing / defamation of a Democratic woman running for high office. Here’s what I’ve seen so far in Republican talking points about Kamala Harris. And they’re just getting warmed up.

• She slept her way to the top
• She’s ambitious and untrustworthy
• She’s a liar, unlike our Dear Leader Trump
• She ignored corruption in certain trials while she was AG in CA (this is the one talking point that’s not just sexist or a lie)
• She’s not really black
• She’s unlikable
• She’s a radical liberal
• She flip-flops on issues

Does this sound a little familiar? It should. This is/was the Republican playbook for Hillary Clinton. Make shit up and attack her reputation with it endlessly. It worked with Hillary, and they expect it to work with Kamala.

In a better world we’d be arguing over issues that matter – climate, the environment, the US economy, jobs, civil rights and justice – but instead we’ll be subjected to three solid months of character assassination by conservatives. I don’t know how to fight this kind of scorched Earth disinformation campaign, so I hope the Biden/Harris team do know how.

I’ll end by saying I’m completely happy with the Biden/Harris ticket. Of course, I would vote for an Ebola/Dog Vomit ticket against Trump. That’s not to diminish Biden/Harris, it’s just to say that Trump is a short term existential threat to civilization (as opposed to a long-term existential threat, like ecological collapse).

It’s going to be an interesting next 83 days.