Reply #18: you assume that 'being tough' means

[secular_warrior]

screaming like a nut. It does not. Being tough means delivering a tough message, it means directly challenging your opponent's core beliefs, instead of simply delivering empty poll tested slogans. Tom Harkin was tough when he called out the chickenhawks when they were hiding behind the swifties. That got covered. Democrats like Harkin, and even Gephardt (who people may not like but that's not the point) are tough without the need to rant and rave. They are tough, old school Dem pols who aren't afraid to get some dirt on their uniform.