President Obama signed that big tax cut bill today — promising your first paycheck of next year will be bigger than the one that preceded it. But you know, something was missing from the otherwise routine event. What could it be? 

Oh, right: there was a notable paucity of Democratic leaders! Paging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid! Hey — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell found time to go.

Vice President Joe Biden made the introduction. Earlier in the day, someone had asked press secretary Robert Gibbs in the briefing whether Biden considered the bill a “big deal.” Gibbs declined to speculate.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is — this is — I was going to say big deal, but an important deal,” Biden said, to laughter. He added a little ruefully, “I can no longer say big deal.”

Added the vice president, “Thank God my mother wasn't around.”