Forget ‘National Incident Commander’ Thad Allen: Experts say Obama needs a czar for oil spill

Wishing upon a czar: Experts want oil-spill chief

WASHINGTON — Critics poke fun at the White House for having too many czars. Now disaster experts and a former oil executive say they want an oil-spill czar.

Obama administration officials find that idea hard to stomach. They say there is clearly someone in charge and that’s Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen. He’s been cleaning up oil spills and other messes for decades. But his title for the BP oil spill is national incident commander.

It’s not about Allen or his skills. The disaster experts just want a big name with a bigger title to coordinate across the government, someone prominent who can walk into the Oval Office.

The White House says that’s Thad Allen.