Washington Post opinion commentator Jennifer Rubin wrote the following on social media: “Her name is Harris or VP Harris. News reports calling her ‘Kamala’ may not be intentionally disrespectful or demeaning but that is how she is treated. It’s wrong.”

The assertion is logically dubious, since “her name” is also “Kamala.” It is also a bit perplexing that Rubin set forth such criticism, since she has referred to Kamala Harris simply as “Kamala” several times in the just past few days. Maybe Rubin draws the distinction that the first-name referencing is “disrespectful” and “demeaning” only insofar as it appears in “news reports.”

But even that charitable interpretation of Rubin’s claim leaves us with a question: Is it derogatory to refer to the presidential candidate in the same terminology as her own campaign refers to her?

I don’t know why the campaign often writes “Kamala” as opposed to “Kamala Harris,” “Harris,” or “VP Harris.” Perhaps it is a strategy to present her as relatable, perhaps her first name is just more memorable as a result of its uniqueness, or perhaps she simply prefers “Kamala.” But if there is some moral error in using merely “Kamala,” as Rubin suggests is the case, then the campaign itself is responsible for encouraging such phrasing.