Attorney_NN1 General_NNB Eric_NP1 Holder_NP1 shows_VVZ his_APPGE independence_NN1 by_II ordering_VVG torture_NN1 probe_VV0 It_PPH1 's_VBZ understandable_JJ that_CST Barack_NP1 Obama_NP1 wants_VVZ to_TO put_VVI any_DD potential_JJ wrongdoings_NN2 of_IO the_AT Bush_NP1 era_NN1 behind_II him_PPHO1 ,_, especially_RR involving_VVG CIA_NP1 interrogations_NN2 and_CC torture_NN1 ,_, and_CC get_VV0 on_RP with_IW his_APPGE own_DA agenda_NN1 ._. 
As_CSA president_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 's_VHZ got_VVN that_DD1 luxury_NN1 ,_, even_RR that_DD1 obligation_NN1 ._. 
As_CSA attorney_NN1 general_JJ ,_, Eric_NP1 H._NP1 Holder_NP1 Jr_NNA ._. 
does_VDZ not_XX have_VHI that_DD1 luxury_JJ --_NN1 not_XX if_CS he_PPHS1 's_VBZ to_TO honor_VVI the_AT obligations_NN2 of_IO his_APPGE office_NN1 ._. 
Holder_NN1 ,_, who_PNQS 's_VBZ closer_JJR to_II Obama_NP1 than_CSN any_DD other_JJ cabinet_NN1 officer_NN1 ,_, might_VM have_VHI been_VBN expected_VVN to_TO follow_VVI Obama_NP1 's_GE lead_NN1 and_CC deep-six_MC demands_NN2 from_II the_AT Democratic_JJ left_JJ for_IF a_AT1 full-dress_NN1 investigation_NN1 of_IO the_AT Bush_NP1 detention_NN1 and_CC interrogation_NN1 tactics_NN2 ._. 
It_PPH1 would_VM have_VHI been_VBN the_AT political_JJ thing_NN1 to_TO do_VDI ,_, and_CC understandable_JJ ._. 
Instead_RR ,_, Holder_NP1 has_VHZ named_VVN a_AT1 special_JJ prosecutor_NN1 ,_, John_NP1 Durham_NP1 of_IO Connecticut_NP1 ,_, to_TO find_VVI out_RP who_PNQS did_VDD what_DDQ in_II the_AT interrogation_NN1 of_IO terror_NN1 suspects_NN2 ,_, how_RGQ much_DA1 of_IO it_PPH1 was_VBDZ illegal_JJ and_CC who_PNQS ,_, if_CS anyone_PN1 ,_, should_VM be_VBI prosecuted_VVN ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ what_DDQ Holder_NN1 should_VM have_VHI done_VDN ._. 
But_CCB Holder_NP1 's_GE independence_NN1 of_IO the_AT White_NP1 House_NN1 on_II so_RG sensitive_JJ a_AT1 political_JJ issue_NN1 is_VBZ more_RRR the_AT exception_NN1 than_CSN the_AT rule_NN1 for_IF recent_JJ attorneys_NN2 general_NN1 ._. 
The_AT record_NN1 of_IO the_AT dearly_RR departed_VVD Bush_NP1 administration_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT1 case_NN1 in_II point_NN1 ._. 
Under_II Attorney_NN1 General_NNB Alberto_NP1 Gonzales_NP2 ,_, the_AT Department_NN1 of_IO Justice_NN1 was_VBDZ just_RR another_DD1 tentacle_NN1 of_IO the_AT Karl_NP1 Rove-run_VV0 White_NP1 House_NN1 political_JJ war_NN1 room_NN1 ._. 
U.S._NP1 Attorneys_NN2 around_II that_DD1 country_NN1 were_VBDR rated_VVN for_IF political_JJ loyalty_NN1 to_II the_AT president_NN1 --_NN1 especially_RR their_APPGE zeal_NN1 in_II prosecuting_VVG Democrats_NN2 --_NN1 and_CC fired_VVD if_CS found_VVN wanting_VVG on_II that_DD1 score_NN1 ._. 
Applicants_NN2 for_IF jobs_NN2 within_II the_AT department_NN1 had_VHD to_TO run_VVI the_AT same_DA loyalty-test_JJ gantlet_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 senior_JJ DOJ_JJ official_NN1 ,_, Monica_NP1 Goodling_NP1 ,_, admitted_VVN in_II congressional_JJ testimony_NN1 that_CST she_PPHS1 had_VHD "_" crossed_VVN the_AT line_NN1 ,_, "_" subjecting_VVG even_RR civil_JJ service_NN1 hirees_NN2 to_II a_AT1 political_JJ litmus_NN1 test_NN1 ._. 
The_AT post_NN1 of_IO attorney_NN1 general_JJ is_VBZ the_AT most_RGT politically_RR sensitive_JJ of_IO the_AT cabinet_NN1 offices_NN2 ._. 
Presidents_NN2 ,_, aware_JJ of_IO that_DD1 ,_, too_RG often_RR have_VH0 tended_VVN to_TO appoint_VVI cronies_NN2 ,_, reliable_JJ political_JJ pals_NN2 from_II the_AT home_NN1 state_NN1 ,_, or_CC flat-out_JJ hacks_NN2 to_II the_AT post_NN1 ._. 
John_NP1 F._NP1 Kennedy_NP1 appointed_VVD his_APPGE brother_NN1 ,_, Robert_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS turned_VVD out_RP to_TO be_VBI a_AT1 stellar_JJ choice_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 civil_JJ rights_NN2 watchdog_NN1 when_CS one_PN1 was_VBDZ most_RRT needed_VVN ._. 
But_CCB he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ also_RR chosen_VVN to_TO watch_VVI his_APPGE brother_NN1 's_GE back_NN1 ._. 
President_NNB Harry_NP1 Truman_NP1 ,_, for_REX21 example_REX22 ,_, named_VVN J._NP1 Howard_NP1 McGrath_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 poker-playing_JJ pal_NN1 ,_, who_PNQS was_VBDZ forced_VVN to_TO resign_VVI when_RRQ he_PPHS1 refused_VVD to_TO cooperate_VVI with_IW a_AT1 corruption_NN1 probe_NN1 launched_VVN by_II his_APPGE own_DA department_NN1 ._. 
Richard_NP1 Nixon_NP1 's_GE choice_NN1 ,_, John_NP1 Mitchell_NP1 ,_, one_MC1 of_IO his_APPGE New_NP1 York_NP1 law_NN1 partners_NN2 ,_, did_VDD yeoman_NN1 's_GE political_JJ work_NN1 for_IF Nixon_NP1 ,_, wiretapping_VVG and_CC indicting_VVG opponents_NN2 of_IO the_AT president_NN1 's_GE Vietnam_NP1 War_NN1 policy_NN1 for_IF conspiracy_NN1 ._. 
Ultimately_RR ,_, Mitchell_NP1 went_VVD to_TO jail_VVI for_IF his_APPGE role_NN1 in_II the_AT 1972_MC Watergate_NP1 break-in_NN1 at_II the_AT Democratic_JJ National_JJ Committee_NN1 headquarters_NN --_NN1 the_AT only_JJ U.S._NP1 Attorney_NN1 General_JJ ever_RR sentenced_VVN to_II prison_NN1 ._. 
Ronald_NP1 Reagan_NP1 gave_VVD the_AT job_NN1 eventually_RR to_II Ed_NP1 Meese_NP2 ,_, a_AT1 reliable_JJ retainer_NN1 (_( if_CS hardly_RR a_AT1 stellar_JJ lawyer_NN1 )_) from_II his_APPGE California_NP1 political_JJ cadre_NN1 ._. 
Jimmy_NP1 Carter_NP1 brought_VVD in_II Griffin_NP1 Bell_NP1 ,_, part_NN1 of_IO the_AT Georgia_NP1 political_JJ establishment_NN1 ._. 
Bill_NP1 Clinton_NP1 broke_VVD the_AT mold_NN1 by_II naming_VVG Janet_NP1 Reno_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 Florida_NP1 prosecutor_NN1 he_PPHS1 did_VDD n't_XX know_VVI ,_, to_TO satisfy_VVI his_APPGE wife_NN1 's_GE demand_NN1 that_CST the_AT job_NN1 go_VV0 to_II a_AT1 woman_NN1 ._. 
Clinton_NP1 could_VM n't_XX get_VVI rid_VVN of_IO Reno_NP1 when_RRQ she_PPHS1 proved_VVD more_RGR independent_JJ than_CSN he_PPHS1 appreciated_VVD ,_, chiefly_RR by_II investigating_VVG other_JJ cabinet_NN1 officers_NN2 and_CC allowing_VVG special_JJ prosecutor_NN1 Kenneth_NP1 Starr_NP1 to_TO determine_VVI whether_CSW Clinton_NP1 committed_JJ perjury_NN1 in_II the_AT Monica_NP1 Lewinsky_NP1 case_NN1 ._. 
Holder_NN1 has_VHZ taken_VVN a_AT1 good_JJ first_MD step_NN1 by_II naming_VVG a_AT1 career_NN1 special_JJ prosecutor_NN1 to_TO probe_VVI the_AT Bush-era_JJ interrogation_NN1 policies_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB how_RGQ successful_JJ that_CST proves_VVZ to_TO be_VBI will_VM depend_VVI on_II several_DA2 things_NN2 ._. 
How_RGQ far_RR up_RP the_AT chain_NN1 of_IO responsibility_NN1 will_VM Durham_NP1 be_VBI allowed_VVN to_TO go_VVI ?_? 
If_CS there_EX 's_VBZ real_JJ wrong-doing_NN1 ,_, prosecution_NN1 of_IO only_RR the_AT small_JJ fry_NN while_CS the_AT big_JJ fish_NN ,_, the_AT policy_NN1 makers_NN2 ,_, are_VBR left_VVN untouched_JJ would_VM render_VVI the_AT probe_NN1 a_AT1 sham_NN1 ._. 
Failure_NN1 to_TO find_VVI any_DD wrongdoing_NN1 would_VM bring_VVI cries_NN2 of_IO "_" whitewash_NN1 "_" --_NN1 even_CS21 if_CS22 that_DD1 's_VBZ the_AT proper_JJ finding_NN1 ._. 
Therein_RR lies_VVZ one_MC1 of_IO the_AT risks_NN2 of_IO Holder_NP1 's_GE decision_NN1 to_TO investigate_VVI ._. 
The_AT others_NN2 ,_, of_RR21 course_RR22 ,_, are_VBR that_CST it_PPH1 will_VM set_VVI off_RP a_AT1 war_NN1 of_IO words_NN2 between_II the_AT CIA_NP1 and_CC DOJ_VV0 that_CST fractures_NN2 the_AT administration_NN1 --_NN1 with_IW Obama_NP1 squarely_RR in_II the_AT middle_JJ --_NN1 and_CC eliminates_VVZ what_DDQ little_DA1 hope_NN1 remains_VVZ left_JJ for_IF some_DD bipartisan_JJ accord_NN1 on_II major_JJ issues_NN2 ._. 
If_CS there_EX 's_VBZ an_AT1 upside_NN1 to_II Holder_NP1 's_GE decision_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 is_VBZ the_AT boost_NN1 his_APPGE indepence_NN1 gives_VVZ Justice_NN1 Department_NN1 morale_NN1 ,_, in_II shambles_NN1 after_II the_AT Bush_NN1 years_NNT2 ._. 
In_II that_DD1 sense_NN1 ,_, Holder_NP1 has_VHZ a_AT1 chance_NN1 to_TO emulate_VVI perhaps_RR the_AT classiest_JJT ,_, most_RGT qualified_JJ figure_NN1 to_TO serve_VVI as_II attorney_NN1 general_JJ in_II a_AT1 generation_NN1 ._. 
Levi_NP1 was_VBDZ plucked_VVN from_II academia_NN1 ,_, where_CS he_PPHS1 'd_VHD served_VVN as_CSA president_NN1 of_IO the_AT University_NN1 of_IO Chicago_NP1 and_CC dean_NN1 of_IO its_APPGE law_NN1 school_NN1 ,_, by_II Jerry_NP1 Ford_NP1 ,_, an_AT1 underrated_JJ president_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 had_VHD no_AT prior_JJ relationship_NN1 with_IW Ford_NP1 ,_, no_AT political_JJ sponsorship_NN1 or_CC known_JJ agenda_NN1 ._. 
What_DDQ he_PPHS1 brought_VVD to_II the_AT job_NN1 was_VBDZ a_AT1 reputation_NN1 for_IF excellence_NN1 and_CC independence_NN1 that_CST restored_VVD the_AT morale_NN1 and_CC reputation_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 Justice_NN1 Department_NN1 ravaged_VVN by_II Nixon_NP1 's_GE political_JJ lawyers_NN2 ._. 
Holder_NN1 has_VHZ the_AT same_DA task_NN1 before_II him_PPHO1 and_CC could_VM do_VDI no_AT better_JJR than_CSN to_TO emulate_VVI Edward_NP1 Levi_NP1 ._. 
