You know why Eric Swalwell will make a great president? Because he’s a tough guy. The toughest. So tough, in fact, that he’s willing to take on Dana Loesch.

Except no he isn’t. But that doesn’t mean he won’t pretend that he’s not afraid of her.

As Twitchy told you, earlier this week, to-cool-for-school Swalwell pretended not to know who Dana Loesch is:

Thank you, Shannon. I spoke at the funeral of a police officer killed by gun violence. I’m running for President to protect them, too. I don’t know who @dloesch is, but it looks like she spends more time worrying about me than she does for gun violence victims. #EndGunViolence https://t.co/MmD2CXs5Md — Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) April 16, 2019

Swalwell’s plenty ignorant on just about everything, but his own tweets demonstrated that he is well aware of who Loesch is and has been for some time.

Anyway, Loesch called him out for trying to be cute instead of just admitting that he’s clueless when it comes to gun and gun policy:

Very “How do fellow kids?" Congressman, but instead answer my question. You said you would jail law-abiding gun owners if they didn’t turn in their lawfully owned firearms. How do you plan to confiscate guns? https://t.co/9uQ9UBn4Vi https://t.co/T6Y506TAJO — Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 16, 2019

BTW — @ericswalwell has dodged legitimate questions about his gun confiscation-and-jail policy for quite some time:https://t.co/lx8r1UJzJn — Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 16, 2019

Being publicly humiliated apparently got Swalwell’s attention, because this morning, he fired back at Loesch with more of his signature tough-guy talk:

?? Ms. Loesch — I see you’ve spent another day blowing up my Twitter. Thank you for following! But here’s the deal, you’re an @nra mouthpiece. I don’t aim down, so I don’t debate mouthpieces. But send me your president, @OliverLNorth. I’ll debate him anywhere. #EnoughIsEnough https://t.co/hu6eVkMIuL — Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) April 19, 2019

I hope people realize how good this comeback is. Dana is “The Mouthpiece”. — Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) April 19, 2019

It’s actually a pretty pathetic comeback. But we’ll get back to that in a second.

Here’s a prediction: the @nra is afraid to have its president debate me. They talk so tough on Twitter, but when challenged to a debate to defend their advocacy for unrestricted weaponry it’s just crickets from @OliverLNorth. #NoFear https://t.co/mxtPpeKnXM — Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) April 19, 2019

We can’t speak to what Oliver North wants to do, but Loesch is more than willing to debate Swalwell:

I’m your Huckleberry.

Unless you’re afraid to lose.

¯_( ツ)_/¯ https://t.co/0yMLiCBQQp — Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 19, 2019

Oh, he’s afraid, all right.

Headline: “Politician desperately needs attention for his campaign, repeatedly begs NRA for debate.” — Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 19, 2019

Oliver North would make you look like the total fool that you truly are. Of course, so would @DLoesch which is why you are so afraid of her. — KEE (@superbucks2050) April 19, 2019

So afraid, in fact, that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get out of it.

What a coward. https://t.co/LjEuMBmF1i — Some guy tweeted something ??‍♂️ (@jtLOL) April 19, 2019

There's a lot to unpack here, but I'll just say I would be absolutely terrified to debate @DLoesch about gun rights and the Second Amendment. She's been leading on this issue longer than you've been in Congress. https://t.co/jfBL5RbdIg — Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) April 19, 2019

He’ll do anything, Including, it would seem, outing himself as a sexist. Let’s look at Swalwell’s first tweet again, shall we?

?? Ms. Loesch — I see you’ve spent another day blowing up my Twitter. Thank you for following! But here’s the deal, you’re an @nra mouthpiece. I don’t aim down, so I don’t debate mouthpieces. But send me your president, @OliverLNorth. I’ll debate him anywhere. #EnoughIsEnough https://t.co/hu6eVkMIuL — Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) April 19, 2019

He doesn’t “aim down”; he just brushes Loesch off as a “mouthpiece” unworthy of his time and mad debating skillz.

I didn’t spend a day, I tweeted you several times responding to *you* a couple days ago, so by your own logic you blew up MY mentions all day. Your response is pretty sexist — you’ll debate a man but not me, a woman, got it. I’m a mom and a lifetime member. https://t.co/AeohleKGQo — Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 19, 2019

Nice going, Congressman Tough Guy.

Headline: "Democratic Rep Eric Swalwell asks woman in charge if there is a man he can speak to" https://t.co/yP0cuTYCr7 — Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) April 19, 2019

Eric Swalwell talking down to an accomplished woman that he doesn't believe is good enough to debate with and literally demands she get a man in charge to handle it. https://t.co/ldCiHJ1miC — Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) April 19, 2019

Karen would like to speak to your manager, @DLoesch https://t.co/ZB2fquSpGJ — Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) April 19, 2019

"Excuse me, Honey. Is your husband around?" — Mike Schietzelt (@mike_schietzelt) April 19, 2019

@DLoesch can handle anything you can throw at her – and more – but it’s pretty obvious that you’ve tried to bully her. Really manly on your part.#UndercoverBully — Cranky Ol’ Soul (@TroyGuthrie10) April 19, 2019

Close your eyes.

Imagine a straight white male telling a woman, he cannot be bothered to talk to her based on her job. Open… https://t.co/E1Zj9jJC7Z — Mrs_Pinky Thoughts ? (@mrs_pinky85) April 19, 2019

Wow you're just straight up sexist. — ıllıllı ??????? ıllıllı (@slatermaus) April 19, 2019

Imagine a Republican saying this to a woman who runs comms for a major organization. https://t.co/4FJwacXqQF — Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 19, 2019

If any Republican male rep just told an accomplished woman in a leadership position at a top organization to essentially 'sit down, shut up' and 'I need to speak to a man in charge here' he would be forced to resign in less than a day.@ericswalwell owes @DLoesch an apology. — Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) April 19, 2019

This is sexist and atrocious. ofc nuke boy will get away with it, b/c he's a Democrat. https://t.co/XvNI7Zpzjh — Brad Polumbo (@brad_polumbo) April 19, 2019

Wow. What an unbelievably condescending response from a Presidential candidate. Way to alienate the female vote by being a jerk! — mrsusuallyright (@mrsusuallyright) April 19, 2019

I hope that women in both parties use this tweet of yours to show how incredibly condescending you are. I thought you were a self-righteous asshole before. Now it’s confirmed. — Sarah Johnson (@SarahJohnsonPR) April 19, 2019

Swalwell thinks his sexist condescension makes him look tough; in reality, in only affirms his weakness.

Swalwell is polling at around zero percent. He should debate anyone willing to talk to him. https://t.co/WT4R4238pO — David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) April 19, 2019

Seriously. At this point, he should just be grateful that Dana Loesch is willing to humor him.

Real life:@DLoesch to @ericswalwell Dana: 'Hello, you seem lost. Can I help you?' Eric: 'Uh yeah. Dana is it? Is there a man I can speak to?' Dana: 'I'm the expert here. I can help.' Eric: 'k honey, look. My time is valuable. Get me your manager.' Dana: 'I am the manager' — Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) April 19, 2019

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional text and tweets.