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Suddenly, Mitt Romney is talking tough.

In a radio interview with Sean Hannity on Thursday, Mr. Romney was asked about Senate majority leader Harry Reid鈥檚 allegations that an unnamed Bain Capital investor had told him that Mr. Romney had not paid any taxes for 10 years.

Romney鈥檚 response: Senator Reid should 鈥減ut up or shut up.鈥�

Yes, the famously straight-laced GOP nominee 鈥� who, in what we鈥檙e sure is a massive coincidence, was recently labeled a 鈥渨imp鈥� on the cover of Newsweek 鈥� is now using lines reminiscent of a Clint Eastwood movie.

At least he didn鈥檛 say 鈥渟hove it鈥� or 鈥渒iss my [posterior]鈥� (that was just his press aide).

Still, it made us squirm a little.

Not because Romney鈥檚 choice of words violated any sort of political decorum. These days, politicians routinely use far saltier language than that, and often the public seems to like it. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie鈥檚 blunt retorts 鈥� such as calling an opponent "an arrogant S.O.B." or telling coastal residents resisting a hurricane evacuation to 鈥済et the hell off the beach鈥� 鈥� are widely seen as part of his appeal. Vice President Joe Biden famously dropped an f-bomb (albeit when he thought he couldn鈥檛 be heard) at the signing ceremony for the president鈥檚 health-care reform bill.

Romney鈥檚 not even the first politician to use 鈥減ut up or shut up.鈥� In late 2010, Sen. Mark Warner (D) of Virginia used the phrase on the Senate floor, talking about the need to address the debt crisis (though he added 鈥渆xcuse the language鈥�). And former British Prime Minister John Major may be forever associated with the phrase, which he uttered at a press conference in 1995, daring opponents from his own party to try to topple him.

It鈥檚 just that it seemed, well, out of character for Romney.聽聽

Tellingly, Romney didn鈥檛 deliver the line with anything even approaching genuine outrage. Listening to the tone of his voice, he could have been talking about his lawn furniture. Or the weather. Right before he said it, he emitted the same nervous chuckle that he makes whenever an interviewer brings up a topic he doesn鈥檛 like (a laugh that James Lipton, host of "Inside the Actor鈥檚 Studio," called 鈥渋nert鈥� and 鈥渕irthless.鈥�)

It鈥檚 too bad, because this was a moment when Romney could have shown some real emotion. Reid has come under fire for making his accusation 鈥� which he first offered up in an interview with the Huffington Post 鈥� based on information from a sole source that he refused to name. In the same interview, Reid even acknowledged he was 鈥渘ot certain鈥� it was true.

Even 鈥�Daily Show鈥� host Jon Stewart 鈥� generally not a big Romney defender 鈥� called it a cheap shot: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e the Senate majority leader! You can鈥檛 just run to the Sideboob Gazette with ridiculous speculations about what may or may not be in Mitt Romney鈥檚 taxes!鈥�

But instead of scripted rejoinders, what voters really need to hear from Romney is some sort of heartfelt response. It doesn't have to be snappy; it just has to be honest.

It鈥檚 telling that, at a point in the race when he most needs to let the public know who he really is, Romney seems to be doing the opposite. Instead of finding his voice, Romney keeps borrowing someone else鈥檚.