Holder plays a hand.

The news of Eric Holder's possible investigation into Cheney era/CIA excesses is getting much attention.

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is leaning toward appointing a criminal prosecutor to investigate whether CIA personnel tortured terrorism suspects after Sept. 11, 2001...

Here's my quick take: This is a very large trial balloon. My hunch is that Holder knows enough to be deeply disturbed by what went on. He also knows an investigation would fly in the face of his boss's stated goal of "moving forward."

Many House Democrats would welcome a prosecutor investigating possible criminality. As would the Left wing of the Democratic Party. Almost no one else would. Not Obama. Not many powerful Democrats in the Senate who fear a major agenda derailment would result. And certainly no Republicans want to see Bush era advisers deposed. Politically an investigation would be a trap for Obama as much as it is a blow to Bush/Cheney adminstration figures and the CIA. Obama would be in the strikingly difficult position of being in opposition to his own Justice Department, the CIA and much of his base. Further, if malfeasance is uncovered and made public the President would be hounded by a question this POTUS does not want to answer:

Would you do the same thing if we were attacked again?

The answer - whatever it is - will enrage someone. Either the Left who wants Cheney punished. Or the Right who will tag Obama as a wimp. (A tag that would stick and have staying power.)

Also, don't think Cheney and his supporters won't fight fire with conflagration. The former VP has made it abundantly clear that he brooks no quarter. He'll come out guns blazin. Cheney won the first round. I see no reason to believe he wouldn't win the second. In order for Cheney to "lose" any information would have to offend our sensibilities to the point of horror - which would in turn inflame the country's enemies which would, in turn, land on the White House's front porch. Whether an investigation is right or wrong is not the point here. The point IS whether Obama/Axelrod could possibly tolerate one. As far as I can tell the answer is NO.

The CIA won't take kindly to an investigation either. Obama can ill afford to aggravate the men and women in Langley.

Holder may truly feel an investigation is warranted. Or he may be flexing some muscle and attempting to carve out some independence from Obama. Or both.

If a prosecutor is actually named I will be amazed. I suspect Obama will quash this one way or another. Even if it means sending his friend/Attorney General to the dog house. Obama is a political animal down to his bone marrow. There is not enough of a political upside to an investigation. Actually, since the Left is now essentially moot anyway - there is NO upside.