Tough Enough?

From Matthew Yglesias (he's commenting on Ezra Klein):

The notion that a group of hardcore killers, willing and eager to detonate a nuclear device in an American city, would be impressed or scared by the 'toughness' of a US president is absurd. Moreover, the idea that any American president would lack the toughness to stand up to a group of hardcore killers, willing and eager to detonate a nuclear device in an American city is absurd. The issue is not toughness, it's whether or not you have policies that would be effective in preventing hardcore killers from acquiring a nuclear device.

Thank you. I've been looking for a way to describe a gut feeling with words. Now I have it.