Obama Appoints a Drug Czar and Kicks Him Out of the Cabinet

Today the White House is expected to name Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Vice President Joe Biden, who as a senator sponsored the legislation that created the office, will make the announcement. Last month I noted a few reasons for cautious optimism about Kerlikowske as head of the ONDCP, perhaps best summed up by Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann, who said, "He's likely to be the best drug czar we've seen, but that's not saying much." Here's another mildly positive sign: A.P. reports "the agency will no longer have Cabinet-level status."

[Thanks to Tom Angell for the tip.]