Most politicians wrap themselves in the Constitution and claim to be its champions while espousing normal partisan views. By contrast, Cheney’s granite constitutionalism shines for being disinterested. Her position on these matters doesn’t take the Republican or Democratic side, the right or the left side. But neither does it reject all interpretive meaning. Rather, she stands in defense of the Constitution however it may be interpreted.

An act of principled constitutionalism doesn’t require an assumption of the Constitution’s infallibility. One simply takes the Constitution as it is, setting aside for later the fights over how it should be interpreted.

Cheney’s stance reminds us that the Constitution always requires defense against attack precisely so that we may exist as a nation under its authority—the authority of the first such constitution in history, one adopted freely by representatives of the people.

Especially in times of crisis, we should expect our public officials to act to preserve the Constitution even at the risk of their political well-being. Most in Cheney’s party have failed to do so. But she has taken the high road: She has made the meaning of the Constitution the Constitution itself.