I used to hate Moira Kelly's character, Mandy, on the West Wing...

...but she pretty much channeled my sentiments here.

As a resident of Northern Virginia as a child, I grew up adoring Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing of the National Zoo. At the time, and for many years, they were the only giant pandas in the United States. I managed to visit them quite a bit, because I was fortunate enough to have a dad who would take us kids into the District to visit the Zoo, the museums, and other national monuments before he picked my mom up from work every day. I had such an affinity for the two bears, that my older cousin affectionately nicknamed me, "Ling."

Sadly, they never managed to have any panda cubs that lasted much longer than a few days. And sadder still, after Hsing Hsing passed, leaving Ling Ling behind, she met her demise a few years after. Which left the United States without any panda bears at all.

At the time, my adorable young cousin (who is now 17 years old), was about two years old, and, with her cuteness, could get away with anything. I remember thinking to myself, I wish she would meet the President, and with her incorrigible little sweetness ask, "Mr. President? Could you ask China for a new panda bear?"

Well, apparently Scotland is asking China for a new panda bear. Which I think would be fantastic. I would lend them my cousin to ask the powers-that-be for one, but I don't think the supplication is as cute coming from a seventeen-year-old!

As for Toby's bright idea in the clip, looks like someone's got that one covered....