Leo McGarry has shuffled off this mortal coil. I didn't know John Spencer, obviously, but he played a great character (most of the time) on a (once-) great TV show, and for that, I will miss him.

As far as I can tell, this leaves the producers of The West Wing with three options for the upcoming election: (1) Alan Alda wins, moving depressingly toward reality and sending the show spiraling even further down the dark hole of crap into which it's been digging itself since Aaron Sorkin left; (2) Jimmy Smits replaces Leo with a new vice presidential candidate, but still somehow manages to win, abandoning any pretense of reality and sending the show spiraling even further down the dark hole of crap into which it's been digging itself since Aaron Sorkin left; or (3) the season seven finale, in which Bartlet leaves office, is The West Wing's last hurrah.

I hope I made it clear which one I vote for.