Rich Lowry

The adoption of radical doom-and-gloom narratives within right-wing populist movements reflects a troubling abandonment of traditional conservative optimism. Rich breaks down why the "woke right" has embraced a deeply dark, cynical view of American society—framing the country not as an exceptional project worth preserving, but as a corrupted state beyond saving. From examining how apocalyptic politics mirror far-left despair to explaining why replacing patriotic gratitude with reactionary cynicism undermines constitutional conservatism, Rich dismantles the defeatist worldview taking root on the fringe right. Watch Rich’s full breakdown, leave your reaction below, and subscribe to National Review!