Instead, his first test was to be over the toughest hurdle.

But one of the toughest political hurdles still lay ahead.

The inconsistency in the quality of the silk might be a rather tough hurdle to clear, though.

A still tougher hurdle is the unusual nature of the Milosevic regime.

But the financial barrier to a college degree is a tougher hurdle than it was in the 1970's.

But any more than $70 billion in tax cuts would need 60 votes - a tougher hurdle for Republicans.

These so-called exit exams create a particularly tough hurdle for students with learning disabilities.

In the current climate, that's a tough political hurdle, to be sure.

The Senate measure includes tough hurdles that illegal immigrants must clear before they can become legal, she argued.

Strange as it might sound, the toughest hurdle was the paint.