AMONG THE MANY THINGS that have changed since September 11 is the public profile of Attorney General John Ashcroft. It’s a lot bigger now. You can get an idea of how much bigger by visiting the Justice Department’s website. It lists all of the A.G.’s public appearances going back to when he was confirmed in February. There are 50 in all but 19 have been recorded since September 11.

Most of the A.G.’s post-September 11 appearances have taken the form of press briefings. Often he’s been joined by FBI director Robert Mueller. But he’s also met the press with HHS secretary Tommy Thompson in tow, and at one briefing he had the president as well as Secretary of State Colin Powell standing alongside him. And he’s testified in Congress on the anti-terrorism legislation.