I wish I could say I agree, but I don’t. Here’s why: Charlie Kirk not only tolerated people like Tucker, Bannon, Poso, and others, he platformed them right up until the very end. He had them on his podcast, invited them to speak at his events, gave them the mic at his rallies, recommended their books and shows, and publicly praised their “character.” This wasn’t Charlie keeping them on a tight leash. This was Charlie giving them the reins. And this was Charlie’s major leadership flaw: he let this stuff go unchecked, was a poor judge of character, and became too focused on big-tent conservatism (which is exactly how conservatism gets shredded). So no, unfortunately I don’t believe he kept the bad guys in check.

A couple things here: 1. Glenn Beck is absolutely right. The Republican Party has a long, unfortunate history of not delivering on its promises, campaigning to conserve American values while delivering little to nothing over the years. Voters have become increasingly frustrated with this reality, leading to movements like the Tea Party and MAGA. We, everyday conservative Americans, want real representation. Not smoke and mirrors. Not unkept promises. The real thing. 2. It’s also true that the Democrat Party, and the radical left that controls it, is a major problem across the board. It has been for a long time. And we will not defeat this problem with flaky, unprepared, greedy, deceitful representation that poses as conservative but does absolutely nothing when it comes to conserving anything. This is why there is a growing cry for a third option. 3. Here’s the problem: this is precisely where nefarious people seize an opportunity. From radicals on the far left to guys like Tucker Carlson on the “woke right,” these figures capitalize on legitimate frustrations. Tucker is not merely a disgruntled conservative who is understandably frustrated with shaky Republican leadership. He is a subversive actor posing as an understandably frustrated GOP voter. He is playing a dialectical game, and the third option he wants to funnel people into is not actual Americanism, but rather “post-liberal” (post-constitutional) neo-feudalism. So while it is understandable, and at times justified, to be angry with the GOP for failing to be what it claims to be, do not think Tucker Carlson and those like him (think Massie, Candace, etc) genuinely share your sentiment. He is using your grievance against you, as cultural Marxists do, and he wants to keep you trapped in that grievance without offering real solutions.