Are conservatives simply to polite to whack the softballs out of the park or is it something else?
Republicans have largely been bullied into silence and a bunch of self-identifying "Conservatives" are liberal themselves or agree with several major planks of the liberal agenda (Homo Marriage, Abortion, Climate Change, etc.).
Trump gave the bulk of them a voice amidst the filter of the MSM, but has led them to tracks that do not lead to Conservatism.
The so-called "Conservatives" in the media who live in the Beltway - I do not consider to be Conservative at all. They are cheerleaders for the oligarchy and 'the system'. Read their columns if their TeeVee time befuddles you as to whether they are muzzled or not.
You will find that they had more positive things to say about Obama's dictatorship and the 'politics' surrounding his agenda in comparison to the hard-hitting rants they have flung at the Conservatives in the Primary - and at Trump since his nomination.