ALL THE DRUG CZAR’S MEN

Why the White House is watching Scoop

The White House called the Hartford Advocate last week to check up on Scoop
after Scoop interviewed Gen. Barry McCaffrey, director of the Office of
National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). McCaffrey visited the Hartford Club
for a Drugs Don't Work luncheon, awarded plaques to drug warriors and spoke
about drug policy.

During the luncheon, Scoop inquired about the recent Institute of Medicine
report confirming that marijuana has medicinal value, this after McCaffrey
said three years ago that pot had no healing qualities.

Then one of McCaffrey's P.R. people invited Scoop to a short interview.
After FOX's Channel 61 reporters threw McCaffrey some softballs, Scoop
quizzed McCaffrey on the ineffectiveness of the national Drug Abuse
Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program.

McCaffrey defended the program, so Scoop asked about racial imbalances in
prison populations, which he understood and reeled off three treatment
policies the ONDCP is working on. Scoop and the General agreed the
discussion could continue for an hour, but McCaffrey declined a full-length
interview, which he was on his way to do at the Hartford Courant.

Scoop's last question: In this free, republican democracy, is it appropriate
for a government agent to use the totalitarian term "Drug Czar?" McCaffrey
explained his purpose, his $17.8 billion budget, and concluded the question
was irrelevant. Five minutes later White House spokesman Bob Weiner called
The Advocate editor, wondering why Scoop wasn't listening, had an agenda and
asked such questions.

Because no one else will, Scoop says, and you can put that into Scoop's FBI
file.