pretty sure everyone on the whole political spectrum uses pejorative adjectives to describe something they don't like. Would it have changed anything if they had said "horrific", "unsettling", "unethical"?

Yeah, this is probably the least bad form of hyperbole because nobody is going to think someone is a literal ghoul. Contrast this with how casually "fascism" or "violence" is being thrown around.

It would be less of a strong signal that the speaker is a leftist in 2025.

Ghoulish refers to creatures who feed off the dead.

Vampiric refers to creatures who feed off the living.

Words have meanings even if you wish they didn't.

I'm not disagreeing with vpribish, just providing context. In 2025, it is common for leftists use this adjective in a way that is completely divorced from its dictionary definition.

well said. And, I think that deleted reply really took this off track somewhere. so uh, carry on.