It seems that many on the right equate being a bully with being a leader.  For some, it may have to do with how either previous bosses behave, or how their coaches and gym teaches behaved in high school.  I worked a number of blue collar jobs over the years, and the bosses who were the most effective in those environments were generally bullies.  Remember back to high school, think about the gym teacher or the team coach, many of them were also bullies.  For many in this country, that is the only exposure to "leadership" they have ever had, so they see a bully and think leader.