Why Trump critics should smile

For all the readers who hate President Trump and see his first 100 days as an epic failure, step back in time for a moment, to election night.

After you wiped away the tears, you wallowed in your fears: Trump would deport immigrants, start erecting a massive wall, unload a clown car of sycophants at every federal agency. He would wage war with NATO and start a trade war with China. America, as we know it, would crumble.

The first 100 days have been a wild reality show, full of bombast and intrigue. But, if you separate hot rhetoric from lukewarm action, your worst nightmares did not materialize.

Sound smart: Maybe the people who should be most hacked off about the first 100 days are those who wanted radical change and got conventional results.

America First, it turns out, looks a lot like conventional conservatism. This could easily be the first 100 days of a President Mike Pence:

• Conventional conservative Supreme Court pick.
• Conventional conservative health-care bill.
• Conventional conservative tax-reform ideals.
• Conventional conservative reg reforms.
• Conventional conservative approach to NATO, China, Syria, Iran, Israel and defense spending.
• Conventional conservative picks for Defense, State, Homeland Security and even the NSC, after Michael Flynn was booted.

Coming attraction: Keepers of the classic Trumpian campaign flame claim more wins to come in their war of ideas, especially on trade. But the momentum is with the mainstream.

Relive the magic: CNN compiled the nearly 600 Trump-related news alerts it sent in the first 99 days.

Just posted ... The White House's 3-minute video, "President Trump's First 100 Days," including a pastiche of cable news clips ("He's pretty close to perfect"), backed by soaring music.