'Treme' Creator David Simon Reflects on Drug War, BP and Critics

Says Treme could deal with BP if it makes it to season five.

David Simon, creator of "The Wire," the HBO series considered by many to be the best television show ever, and "Treme," also on HBO, which chronicles the lives of people rebuilding in post-Katrina New Orleans, was in the Crescent City over the weekend to address the Rising Tide conference, which annually draws bloggers and writers to discuss the recovery. At the conference, The Loop 21 caught up with Simon to discuss the war on drugs, the BP oil disaster, and critics of his show.

The Loop 21: You recently told U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder that you would do another season of "The Wire" if he ended the war on drugs. Have you heard a response back from him on that?

David Simon: He was just being playful and so was I. I don’t really expect the Attorney General to suspend the drug war to get another season of "The Wire." His comments were very kind and flattering, and I just used it as an opportunity to address one of the major themes in "The Wire," which is that the drug war is untenable, and has degenerated into a war on America. But do I expect him to do that? He can’t do it. He doesn’t make laws. He is the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and so when I made the comment I didn’t actually expect the slightest response. I made the comment to keep the argument going.

But there is an underlying truth in what you proposed. What do you think of the New Orleans Police Department recent re-consideration of arresting people for weed?