If, as is currently being suggested, current Seattle police chief Gil Kerlikowske is designated “Drug Czar” by President Obama, we can expect a lot more Seattle bashing about our city’s lax drug laws. Or at least so far as pot is concerned. Sunday’s report in The New York Times offers plenty of ammunition to Republicans who’ll want to paint Kerlikowske–and by extension the whole Obama White House–as being, gasp, soft on drugs. Seems like Chief K has instructed our men and women in blue to look the other way during Hempfest and other occasions of Northwest green celebration. Maybe the GOP will even call Norm Stamper to DC for Senate confirmation hearings. In the same NYT piece, the former chief of police–who lost his job along with Paul Schell following the 1999 WTO debacle–sounds more than a little bitter about Kerlikowske getting the national attention he surely coveted. Norm, dude, take a chill pill. (Or whatever substitute you prefer up in the San Juans.) And Gil, as the NYT mentions, if you get the gig in DC, remember not leave your gun in an unlocked car. Because that is totally not cool.