The Left has been hard on Sanders. But they seem to focus their criticism on everything besides how she does her job. Attacking her looks is an especially popular tactic, and it’s especially loathsome.

Many attendees of the White House Correspondents’ dinner tweeted disagreement with Wolf’s attacks after the black tie event. But the condemnation wasn’t universal. In fact, some were jealous of Wolf. Marisa Kabas, editorial director of HOPE, a mobile platform connecting media and activism, tweeted, “calling sarah huckabee sanders an asshole to her face is a personal dream and i’m just jealous @michelleisawolf got to do it first.” Her tweet has more than 15,000 likes.

Wolf’s attack on the press secretary’s appearance isn’t the first by a prominent comedian. Chelsea Handler, who championed the Women’s March, tweeted out a video mocking Sanders’ looks, including a makeup tutorial and a joke insinuating that Sanders isn’t a woman.

Sanders took the attack sitting at the head table on stage. She gets it, as she once said in a TV interview: “The only war on women that I see is the one that’s being waged against every woman and every female that is close to this president.”

Clearly, Sanders is tough and self-confident, so she is able to weather these insults. But she shouldn’t have to. Media figures and political leaders from both parties who have talked about the importance of getting more women involved in public life should ask why the objectification of women is part of politics today.

Maybe something good will come out of all of this. Maybe some people watching will pause to consider how they would feel about these attacks if it was done on someone they love. Maybe some will wonder how our political discourse became so vicious and when it became acceptable to hurl crass insults at someone over dinner.

Of course women, like men, in public life need to be prepared to be challenged. Criticism on performance or on their records should be expected and welcomed. But women shouldn’t be discouraged from taking the public stage because of the fear of facing juvenile personal attacks.

During the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton put out an ad showing clips of then-candidate Donald Trump personally attacking people, including Megyn Kelly and a disabled reporter. It asked a powerful question: What example are we setting for our children?

People should be asking that now, and commit to demanding better.

Karin Lips ( @KarinAgness ) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is the founder and president of the Network of enlightened Women, and a Senior Fellow with the Independent Women’s Forum.