"Tough enough", Little Hawk? Perhaps. Like any other peoples, Americans need to perceive their leaders as being tough enough to chart and hold to a course. However, I don't agree that 'tough enough' commonly entails

"1. bellicose statements about fighting America's supposed foreign "enemies" and pursuing them "to the gates of hell"

2. vicious attacks on the patriotism and courage and character and honesty and morality of the opposing candidate.

In my memory are Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter.