On Thursday’s WarRoom, Dave Brat and Monica Crowley delivered a piercing critique of the Democratic Party’s strategy for the 2024 Presidential election in November. They revealed a pattern of using “ghosts”—shadowy figures crafted by the media to manipulate public perception.

Crowley explained to Brat, "The system has moved the presidency into more of a figurehead role,” with the real power wielded by "system players” and operatives behind the scenes.

Crowley’s critique extends to how Democrats utilize media-crafted personas to influence voter perceptions. According to Crowley, the Democrats have consistently run "ghosts” in their campaigns—figures who, like holograms, allow voters to project their hopes and aspirations. She compared Barack Obama to a "blank screen” on which voters projected their desires, and suggested that Joe Biden was similarly marketed as a comforting presence. Now, she argues, Harris is being positioned in a comparable manner.

Crowley’s analysis provides a compelling look into how the Democrats and their allies in the media construct and project political personas to influence elections.

Crowley expressed her admiration for Royce White, the new U.S. Senate nominee from Minnesota, noting his role as an important voice against the backdrop of a significant ideological battle. She framed the current political climate as a struggle of grander proportions, stating, "There’s something much bigger going on here,” which she believes underpins the heightened stakes of this election.

A central part of Crowley’s critique for the WarRoom audience is the media’s role in shaping political narratives. She described the mainstream media as an "Imperial media,” a term echoing President Nixon’s view of the press as a powerful, controlling force. Crowley argued that this media empire is engaged in a deliberate campaign to shield Kamala Harris from scrutiny, drawing parallels to past Democratic figures like Barack Obama. She stated, "They want to try to set up Kamala Harris as essentially Barack Obama in a skirt,” suggesting that the media is employing a similar strategy of presenting a charismatic, historic figure while obscuring their radical policies and past actions.

This strategic use of media-created illusions, Crowley contends, serves to distract from substantive issues. She noted that the media is protecting Harris and promoting a narrative that appeals emotionally to specific demographic groups, particularly women. Crowley criticized this approach, arguing that it distracts from Harris’s radical policies and her actual record. She pointed out, "The media is selling this idea of Kamala Harris, not as a candidate with a record but as a historic first.”

Moreover, Crowley aimed at Harris’s economic policies, which she claimed are being misrepresented by the press. She warned that Harris’s forthcoming economic speech would blame inflation on "greedy corporations” and "price gouging,” a narrative Crowley dismisses as misleading. "The massive expansion of government spending is what’s driving inflation,” she asserted, criticizing the media’s complicity in obscuring this reality.

Brat added to the conversation and emphasized the need for a president who can think independently, challenging the notion of a figurehead leader. He suggested that Harris’s campaign rhetoric is designed to appease voters with "rhetoric and poetry,” while her actual policies could lead to "massive expansion of government” and "socialized medicine.”

The conversation with Crowley’s analysis reveals a deep skepticism about the authenticity of political figures and media portrayals, urging voters to look beyond the crafted images and focus on substantive issues.

Together, they exposed the ongoing struggle between media-driven narratives and political realities, highlighting the importance of critically evaluating the true motivations behind political campaigns.

For more from Monica Crowley, watch Thursday’s WarRoom interview:

Monica Crowley: The Democrats Have Set Up “Kamala Harris As Essentially Barack Obama In A Skirt”