THE OVERLY EFFECTIVE BRAND:

The joke about having apostate GOP Rep. Liz Cheney serve as vice-chair of the House's Jan. 6 select committee was that putting a Republican in charge of something might end up being the most politically effective move that modern congressional Democrats have ever made. It wasn't just any Republican, either; it was the daughter of one of the most ruthless GOP operators of his era, former vice president Dick Cheney, a man so skilled in the deft dance of the political rhumba that he once got away with shooting a guy in the face.

That analysis has proven sound.  [...]

Among other reasons, this is because she's played to the serialized-television format of the hearings by teasing "bombshell"-type revelations and then fully airing them later in context that makes them even more dramatic. Most notably, she mentioned during the first hearing that the committee would present testimony suggesting that Trump reacted approvingly when he heard that mob in the Capitol was chanting the phrase "hang Mike Pence." She made good on that promise on Tuesday when questioning Cassidy Hutchinson, the former aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. "As an American," Hutchinson said after seeing a clip from a previous interview with the committee during which she recounted hearing Meadows tell another official about Trump's alleged comments, "I was disgusted."

A few other moments on Tuesday suggest Cheney has some more sizzlers planned, particularly regarding the White House's connection to Jan. 6 violence.

Tweet   @brothersjudd