To cleanse the palate, a reminder that there aren’t going to be many deals between the White House and Senate Democrats.

The inspiration for this tepid goof was the first meeting this morning of Trump’s full cabinet, which … was pretty Trumpy:

Vice President Mike Pence spoke first: “This is the greatest privilege of my life is to serve as vice president to a president who’s keeping his word to the American people.”

Next up was Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has caught Trump’s ire of late for his recusal from Russia-related matters: “It’s an honor to be able to serve you in that regard and to send the exact right message, and the response is fabulous around the country.”…

“I want to thank you for getting this country moving again, and working again,” said Elaine Chao, the secretary of Transportation…

“Mr. President, what an incredible honor it is to lead the Department of Health and Human Services at this time under your leadership,” glowed the agency’s head Tom Price.

Poor Reince, whose ego has clearly been ground down by months of being the designated whipping boy for White House failures, was most effusive of all. Question, though: Why not use the occasion of the administration’s first full cabinet meeting to do a little media counterprogramming, even at the risk of out-and-out sycophancy? In the end, it’s nothing but a photo op. (At least, the part at the beginning where the cameras are allowed in is.) If the cable nets are willing to give Trump free airtime to have his top advisors testify in sequence that Things Are Getting Done, he’d be a fool not to use it.

Although, given the president’s narcissism, Schumer would be a fool not to pander to his own voters with an easy lay-up.

Here’s a clip of Obama’s first cabinet meeting in April 2009. Contra Trump, one man did all the talking.

GREAT meeting today with the best staff in the history of the world!!! pic.twitter.com/ocE1xhEAac

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 12, 2017