“Frumpy” “Onomatopoeia” Global politics and cultures boiled down to two words. Aaron Sorkin is a mad genius.

I have loved Ian McShane as an actor for a very long time. Finding this clip of a scene I remember fondly was like getting an early Christmas gift.

Hello. I did not need to hear a single second of this clip. It is burned in my brain. Ian McShane doing a Russian accent and saying "Onomatopoetically, sounds right".

Finally, a worthy opponent. Our negotiations will be legendary!

It's shame we don't get to see the follow-up to this. Where Sam explains the importance of idiomatic expression to the President and Leo McGarry and then Percy Fitzwallace's amazement that putting Sam in the middle of tense diplomatic and military discussions hasn't put the US is imminent danger of annihilation.

Just in case that someone doesn't get the implications, and because I'm a smartass, I'd like to give some context and explanation. Be aware, spoilers ahead. In this episode, the preparations are being made to a joint summit in Finland between Russia and the US. However, the summit is on the verge of being cancelled, following revelations about Russian nuclear technology having been sold to Iran. A huge diplomatic crisis is looming on the horizon because it is unclear whether this happened due to corruption, or via a nuclear deal sanctioned by the newly elected Russian President who's yet an unknown factor. Sam and these Russian diplomats are just talking organizational issues. It's... not an important meeting at all. Essentially, they're sitting there wasting their time to talk about times and dresscodes while real politics are happening behind the scenes and these two superpowers are moving towards a potential new, small Cold War over the issues mentioned above. Nobody there has any real political power and it should be meaningless - except during the last minute, when this small-fry diplomat suggests language discussing nuclear proliferation. Just a verbal suggestion, sent through the lowest of the lowest channels. And written in perfect English, on a level far above the guy who occasionally has to ask for meanings of certain phrases and idioms. Sam realizes rather quickly what this is. This isn't organizational anymore. It's a message, sent directly from the new Russian president to POTUS, through backchannels. He can't allow himself to appear weak within his own nation right now, not during this time of crisis. But he doesn't want the joint summit to be cancelled. He wants cooperation with the US, he's willing to talk about nuclear proliferation and he needs - NEEDS - this win in order to stop further crimes like this. Because Sam understands it and takes this message up (the good one, naturally), the joint summit DOES happen and a major, international crisis is being averted through cooperation. All because a speechwriter and two lower Russian diplomats stepped up when the time was needed. And here's a small theory: The diplomat did know the word 'onomatopoeia'. Perhaps, he faked his poor English on purpose, to really highlight that this last suggested change of language came from somewhere higher up - and perhaps that's why the other diplomat asked HIM for the meaning of the word?

Mcshane is one of the best actors on the planet

When Sam, one of the most intelligent people and brilliant writers in the administration, meets his intellectual equal, who happens to be Russian.

We need the conclusion to this scene.

Ian McShane could do an hour of reading from the phone book and I'd want to hear it!

Reagan embarrassed Gorbachev when they met and Gorbachev the young man was all bundled up for winter and the old man Reagan just wore his suit. (November 1985; Geneva)

I was looking for this exact clip recently. English idioms!

"Well gee, we sure wanted to reduce strategic nuclear arms but unfortunately the Senators from the states where the Minuteman missiles and bombers are based said they'd far prefer the world end in fire and blood than give up the jobs those bases bring to their constituents."

“Stem the tide”. Sam catches it and that’s the whole reason for these scenes. When he takes to Bartlett is the payoff

By George! Lovejoy had one hell of a career change!

"is freezing too cold"

This episode is when I learned what idioms are.

It's technically Season 3 Episode 18 because the 9/11 special wasn't officially given an episode number.

Season 3 episode 20 Enemies foreign and domestic

WIthout the context this loses a lot of meaning. Sam is realizing the Russian president is sending a back channel message to Bartlet through this change. He is in the big league for real, now.

What we’re thinking of to NOT include the resultant dramatic conclusion from their meetings .. duh.

Politics to the Continental.. little bit a a lateral transition for the man :)

struggles with colloquialisms but nails onomatopoeically in context with frumpy...

Ian Macshane is one of the worlds greatest living actors… But asking him to do an accent is like asking Superman to juggle kryptonite.