They Don't Wear Wooden Shoes.

The sets "Fans of The West Wing " and "committed blogaholics" probably have significant overlap. As I'm sure everyone knows, actor John Spencer passed away of a heart attack on Friday. For conservatives, White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry frequently provided the most articulate voice for their positions, particularly on national defense (in the Season Two episode "The Drop-In" Leo proves unflappable in the face of liberal cynicism as he pushes for a national missile shield) In Seasons Three and Four they character became a strong advocate for a brutal and severe war on terror. This neocon turn may have been intended by Sorkin and O'Donnell to lampoon American arrogance towards Middle Eastern countries, but I'll never forget this line from "Game On" when discussing Saudi stand-in pseudo-nation "Qumar":

"I can't pretend like Qumar is our quaint little allies whose culture it is important to be tolerant of. They don't wear wooden shoes."

Rest in peace Mr. Spencer. And thanks for the good memories.