Nation, We Give You a Drug Czar
As Nina Shapiro noted below, it appears that the nation's most ridiculously-named office (even if it's only a nickname) will be held by none other than our police chief, Gil Kerlikowske (pictured at left with resident crime-fighting canine, McGruff, at a "drug awareness week" event at West Seattle's Holy Rosary School). 
The Drug Czar--technically, the Office of National Drug Control Policy--has been responsible for achievements like $1.4 billion spent on anti-marijuana ads that just made kids want to smoke more, and is legally required to oppose any measure that would legalize current illicit drugs, including for medical use.
Still, local medical marijuana advocates approve of Kerlikowske, who despite working with a drug-war-crazy city attorney, has earned a reputation for being reasonable. He'd certainly be a big improvement over Obama's previously rumored pick, who voted for bans on federal funding for needle exchanges and was strongly anti-medical marijuana.
Even though Kerlikowske opposed the it, his confirmation hearings should contain some questions on I-75, the city initiative making marijuana possession the lowest priority of law enforcement. (Kerlikowske argued that the measure was unnecessary, as marijuana possession enforcement was already a low priority for the SPD.) We wish the hearings came with a "Tom Carr cam", so we could see the city attorney squirm at mention of the policy he hates so much.
Update: More on what Kerlikowske could do as drug czar here.
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