The statement by Frank Rich draws attention to a notable difference in how two American leaders handled the anxieties of the populace. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, also known as F.D.R., urged Americans to confront their fears head-on with bravery and resiliency in an effort to inspire hope during the Great Depression and World War II. His well-known speech about fear itself exhorted people to face uncertainty head-on rather than allow it to overcome them.

Rich's statement, on the other hand, highlights John Ashcroft, a former Attorney General of the United States under President George W. Bush. Rich claims that Ashcroft was more likely to take advantage of public anxieties than to allay them. Ashcroft's propensity to inflate security concerns and possible threats in order to defend strict regulations was a defining feature of this strategy.

Rich's metaphor of Ashcroft as "Fear Itself" implies that Ashcroft positioned himself as someone who embodies and amplifies fear rather than serving as a leader who assists others in overcoming their anxieties. This is like a lighthouse keeper who, instead of calmly directing ships through dangerous waters, continuously blows on a fog horn, making sailors more confused and afraid.

American critic and journalist Frank Rich is well-known for his incisive political observations. He regularly offers liberal criticism of public leaders and governmental initiatives. Here, he employs wit and comedy to draw attention to what he perceives as a difference between Ashcroft's governance style, which mainly relies on inciting fear, and F.D.R.'s inspirational leadership during trying times.

By contrasting these two individuals, Rich emphasizes the significance of leaders' public relations during emergencies and the possible repercussions of playing on people's fears instead of dealing with them in a positive way.