Democratic Scorecard: The Lizard Brain Wins Again!

With the media in full CSI: Ohio and Texas mode, slicing and dicing the body politic for clues to Hillary Clinton's latest resurgence (don't forget to check under the fingernails!), theories abound:

It was the economy, stupid. It was the Latino/African American disconnect. It was the media finally giving Obama some heat. It was Saturday Night Live (all hail Amy Poehler, Lorne Michaels, and Jim Downey -- political kingmakers).

But the real answer is to be found deep in our lizard brains. Clinton won by dealing from the bottom of the deck -- and the bottom of the barrel -- and playing the fear card. And, as happened in 2002 and 2004, Be Very Afraid proved to be a very effective campaign pitch.

After her New Hampshire comeback, Clinton famously declared: "I found my own voice."

For this latest comeback, she found Karl Rove's voice.

People aren't currently stocking up on Cipro and duct tape but, as the cable channels' hyped up reaction to the Times Square explosion showed, these are still jittery times. And appeals to voters' lizard brains still move the needle.

After an 11 state losing streak, Hillary Clinton didn't suddenly transform into a more compelling candidate. Only a spookier one.

So we got the 3 a.m. phone call, making no real argument about preparedness to lead, only the shadowy insinuation that bad things will happen to your kids if you vote for Obama. Trailers for slasher movies have less of a creep-you-out factor.

We got Hillary's ready-to-lead scorecard: "I think that I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience to the White House. And Senator Obama has a speech he gave in 2002." This scorched earth pronouncement led Air America's Rachel Maddow to tell Keith Olbermann, "That's what you say when you want to be John McCain's vice-presidential choice. That's not what you say when you're trying to become the Democratic nominee for president." Olbermann's take: "Unbelievable."

And we got that jaw-dropping moment on 60 Minutes where Clinton generously announced that she takes Obama at his word that he's not a Muslim and rejected rumors that he is with the so-big-you-could-fit-a-madrass-in-it caveat, "As far as I know." What's next, "Obama is a human being... as far I know"?

It's worth remembering that earlier in the campaign, when Clinton was still pitching the inevitability of her candidacy and fending off attacks from her opponents, she roundly disavowed these kinds of tactics. "I'm not interested in attacking my opponents," she claimed in Iowa in November. "I'm interested in attacking the problems of America and I believe we should be turning up the heat on the Republicans." Terry McAuliffe reiterated the do-no-harm-approach: "We're going to focus on the Republicans. We're going to focus on winning the White House. We're not going to attack our fellow Democrats. That's not what we want to do."

That is, they didn't until the high road looked like it would turn into a dead end. Then out came the fear-mongering playbook and the phone started ringing at 3 a.m.

I've written before about how fear-mongering works, causing voters to react not with their linear and logical left brain but with their lizard brain and their more emotional right brain.

Deep in the brain lies the amygdala, an almond-sized region that generates fear. When this fear state is activated, the amygdala springs into action. Before you are even consciously aware that you are afraid, your lizard brain responds by clicking into survival mode. No time to assess the situation, no time to look at the facts, just: fight, flight or freeze.

When we are in this state, we are biologically programmed to pay less attention to left-brain signals -- indeed, our logical mind actually shuts itself down. Fear paralyzes our reasoning and literally makes it impossible to think straight. It's the neuroscience, stupid!

After Tuesday's success, you can be sure the Clintons' march through the mud will continue over the seven weeks until Pennsylvania. Bill Clinton understood the potency of playing to voters' lizard brains -- it's why he started rolling the fear dice back on the Charlie Rose show. How to counter this kind of fear-mongering without kicking off a round of Mutual Assured Destruction for the Democrats is the Obama campaign's greatest challenge.

Comments

[frost12]

IT WAS ALREADY SAID:
HILL IS A MONSTER!!!

[TherapyDoc]

I think it's disgusting when candidates do this (play the negative emotions). Like we don't have enough to worry about.

[imagine0594]

As a voter from Ohio who voted for Clinton, I'm almost offended when people say I voted out of fear, that I wasn't using the logical side of my brain. It's as if Arianna thinks a person can't look at all the issues and look at what Obama and Clinton say and then vote for Clinton.

These two candidates are very close on the issues. There are some minor differences in policy, but basically they're on the same page. So I wasn't really sure who I was going to vote for until the press conference Hillary had concerning those health care and NAFTA flyers Obama put out. The health care flyer looked exactly like the Harry and Louise commercial that came out in the early 90s, and as a Democrat that really made me mad. That type of manipulation is what stopped Universal Health Care before, and now here it is again coming from a Democrat! It is right out of Karl Rove's playbook.

As for the comment Hillary made regarding Obama's speech in 2002, right now she's trying to prove she is the best candidate to go up against McCain. If it's Obama v. McCain, people could vote for McCain because he has more experience. It's harder to make that argument with Hillary, and that's what she was pointing out.

One last point, these Republicans that come from the far right wing of the Republican party have had most of the power in Washington now for far too long. I don't want to work with them. I want to fight them and win. I don't see any fight in Obama. He waits, and waits, and waits, before he fights back.

[Angelic11]

If that were the point she was trying to make, that would have been the point she made. Enough!; justifying Hillary's bad behavior! There are just alliances you just don't break and she crossed the line my dear...and you cannot rationalize that!

[Abo]

This is why I could never fathom why feminists support the Clintons. Bill for obvious reasons, but Hillary only on account of her gender even when she stoops to the most primitive, unevolved responses.
Women use the left side of their brain more than men which makes them better diplomats, more compassionate, more cooperative--why would any feminist reinforce the worst instincts of men at the expense of the higher mind advantages of women?

[MarriottSurvivor]

Maybe I'm lizard-brained to say so, but Barack Obama is unelectable against McCain in 2008. The GOP will pulverize Obama, but Hillary could actually win in November.

[LarBear]

Dear Arianna.........
OMG... I'm hiding in my cave trembling and I haven't even seen the sooooooo scary Red Phone Ad... It's the Dinosaurs! OMG... The sky is falling!
What an INSULT to people to think one Ad frightened us into submission... Your contempt of the Voter is amazing...
Let me think on this... Do I want a scrappy fighter, I E, Hillary, answering the Red Phone, refusing to be bullied? Or, Mr I Want to Please Everyone so they Vote for me, Obama? Obama is about Hope and Change... Why would I spend my "Hope Coin" so to speak, on a Rookie U S Senator who says he will "change" Washington DC and Politics as usual??? He is Politics as usual and is getting Endorsements from the very ones he is supposed to change, LOL...
We have a Corporate corrupted Political System with two Branches... Democrat and Republican (basically)... Kept in place by WE the (People) Government... Thinking one person, one Presidential Office Holder, is going to change the Political System is absurd... What a waste of the "Hope Coin"... More like Fairy Dust, or Illusion... WE, The Government, of, by and for the People ignorantly think our Office Holders are the Government...
Is Hillary a Washington Insider??? Where else did she learn to behave like a Political Street Fighter... She knows the System... She has fought the System before...
The Political System is already consuming Obama as he Campaigns... Do I think the "Good OL Boys and Girls" are going to surrender their control (what they call Power) to a Rookie... Not only NO, but Hell NO!
If you want "SCARY" would NOT that be WE the Government doing the same thing over and over expecting a different results??? Maybe that is what is meant by "spending our "COINS" like a Drunken Sailor???"
POGO: WE have met the Enemy and "it" is US!!!

[BetterAmerica]

Is it complete lunacy to think about how a potential president would react to terrorism? Obama is way too soft on terror, dictators, etc. Some democrats have gone overboard with anti-war sentiment. Yes I wish we were never in Iraq and I think there are better ways to deal with terrorism. But does that mean we should have tea with Ahmadinejad? No way. We have to protect ourselves. There are crazy people making bombs with marbles and nails and they just want to kill and maim people. They don't care if they get Dems or Repubs. They just want to kill Americans. It is important to remember this and make sure we're protecting our nation.

By the way Arianna Huffington, please take note of this comment. Do you really think America will elect a black man with the middle name Hussein? When given the choice between a war hero with years in the Senate and a new senator with the middle name Hussein-who will middle America vote for? Obama gives great speeches and seems like a nice guy. But you have to remember, not everyone voting is a celebrity-loving, latte-drinking, open-minded liberal. It doesn't take much to put doubt in the heads of voters. Therefore, Obama vs. McCain would result in another 4 years of Repubs in power. Hillary has a good chance to fight the GOP. Although she's a woman and would have a tough time, I think she has a better chance than Obama. Isn't the goal to get a Dem in the WH?

[ibsteve2u]

If every American thought in terms of "Do you really think America will elect a black man with the middle name Hussein?" I frankly wouldn't care who won the election.

It wouldn't matter - America wouldn't be worth saving.

[BetterAmerica]

I agree it's sad. But I think it's true.

[inwonderland]

HILLARY CLINTON RUMORED TO BE SIZING UP A RUN FOR THE

NEW YORK GOVERNOR'S POST.


LET'S ASK HER.

LET'S SET HER UP FOR THE QUESTION: WOULD YOU, HILLARY,
TURN DOWN A CALL TO RUN FOR NEW YORK'S GOVERNOR.

E-MAIL EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT
THE AMBITIONS OF HILLARY CLINTON.

[JWLANDSCAPES]

I'm coming out then, loud and proud, a FOOL for Hillary! I am a fool for Universal Healthcare, a fool for green technologies and green collar jobs, a fool for a balanced budget, a fool for immediate troop withdrawals from Iraq, a fool for a strong dollar, a fool for better education, a fool to think a WOMAN can be President, and a FOOL for basing my decision on visiting each candidates senate websites published by tax payer dollars. www.obama.senate.gov and www.clinton.senate.gov Wow, when you foolishly strip it to pure facts and voting record, and actually come to the foolish conclusion that one candidate does back her rhetoric with actual results on the floor, then yah.....I AM A FOOL FOR HILLARY!

[ibsteve2u]

"It is impossible to make anything fool-proof because fools are so ingenious." ~ Anon

[RawlRules]

Excellent. (sadly)

[abot]

so fool JWLANDSCAPES

since you have done your research. Can you list HRC's specific accomplishments in the Senate.

[stageplay]

If, God forbid, Hillary Clinton is the nominee of the Democratic Party, I will not hesitate to vote for the "more experienced" candidate, as she describes it. That would be John McCain. If, however, Obama is the nominee of the Democratic Party, I will not hesitate to vote for the best candidate. That would be Barack Obama.

[greenwitch]

I was ready to be inspired by both candidates, but last week showed how low the Clintons are willing to go. If that is what it's going to take to win (i.e. business as usual), then we're in for another multi-billion dollar dog and pony show, just like the 2004 election, when OBL (or an amazing facsimile) was trotted out to great effect the weekend before the election, and the voting in two pivotal states, Florida and Ohio, were overseen by secretaries of state who also served as Bush campaign managers. If this is what we have to look forward to. we might as well forget "hope" and "change" (Bill Clinton, during the 2004 campaign, urged voters to elect a candidate who appeals to hope, not fear---Obama needs to play that soundbite over and over), forget appeals to our higher selves and our better natures, and get ready to be screwed all over again.

[donaldw6]

I read this post (finally), and started looking down the thread of comments, because I think it's time to confront this issue head-on. I couldn't read through many of the comments -- which probably doesn't speak much to the possibility that many will read this one -- but here are my thoughts, for what they're worth.

Are we really prepared to accept that this sort of thing is ok? I don't mean bringing up legitimate issues, even in a confrontational manner; I mean insinuations, half-truths, misleading statements and outright lies, that sort of thing, you know? If we cede that battleground as being legitimate, we are laying the boards and hammering the nails for a nice nifty platform that John McCain and his 527 buddies can stand on to launch their campaign for 2008.

You know, if something is wrong, it's wrong. It's not only wrong when someone else does it, but when you do it, you chuckle and say that's politics. It's wrong! It's lizard brain, it's low-class, and it's disgusting. Why don't we each of us do a little personal inventory, and determine to stand for what's right in every instance. I thought that was why we were all Democrats, although I've seen in the past year how truly naive my thinking has been.

When you're right, I will congratulate you, because integrity is important to me. When you're wrong, I will correct you, because I want to be helpful. When you're sneaky and immoral, I will be outraged, because I want to be part of a party that's better than that. I refuse to shrug resignedly and say that's politics. A new kind of politics will take a long time to achieve, but it's going to take even longer every time I turn a blind eye to impropriety.

I have a sense of right and wrong. It's very imperfect, and it's evolving and improving (hopefully) all the time, but I've learned to trust it. It told me that invading Iraq was wrong in 2002 and 2003, it tells me that the rule of law is the tie that binds our nation together, and it tells me that slimy, Rovian political tricks are beneath contempt. They are unacceptable, now and in the future, and irrespective of the source and regardless of motive. The means, class, for those of you who still haven't learned, absolutely do not and will not ever justify the end. So you who remain intent on this approach, keep playing, and snicker about it in your smoke-filled backrooms. We're not just knocking on the door of your little clubhouse. We're about to kick the damn thing down!

[jsaak]

Hillary believes the White House is here assumptive fief
And that she is entitled to become the first female commander-­and-chief!

You see, the White House had been under seige for her eight-year-stay, and well, her lizard brain has told her that her and Bill's domestic, personal problems constitutes her battle-ready experience to be the commander-in-chief. She has been a White House warrior, fighting Bill's sexual preditors.

DOWNLOAD THE FOLLOWING:

.http://.n­ewyorker.c­om/archive­/1994/05/3­0/1994 It contains a definitive profile about "Hillary, the Pol" - - her experience in Arkansas, etc. A must read to learn how "accomplished": she really is.

[stoprollingover]

Here is the correct link:

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1994/05/30/1994_05_30_058_TNY_CARDS_000366533

[donaldw6]

Next time you post a link, you wanna check it first? Jesus Christ!

[mikeeforthetruth]

Are the Dems , now acting like our friends ? - the Repubs. Its too bad -- that humans are not as advanced as they think. -- That fear part of the brain still works as the controller. But thank God , there are same sane people who have learned to connect the right and left spheres of the brain and actually think and reason.

MWiz of truthseeke­rforum.com

[sugarbox]

In the video below an unlikely primate asks us to wake our inner monkey. Unfortunately many people are dominated by the reptile. The cerebral cortex atrophies and we collectively devolve into a race of snake people. FIGHT FEAR!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPUUPO2HqvQ

[KDH]

Has it ever occurred to people that are blaming Hillary's campaign tactics, that maybe people aren't voting against Obama because of negativity from her campaign. Maybe there are more people, who just can't stomach Obama, than you want to think is possible. If I want to hear sermons, I go to church. And 45 min speeches after a loss are excessive, and not necessary. Maybe if he'd just keep it short and simple, that might help.

[donaldw6]

Did you know that refusal to respond, turning instead to hurl a different accusation, is a Rovian tactic?

[JKZANG]

KHD - I agree with you wholeheartedly! Obama really likes to hear himself and he has become increasingly boring.....he has proven to be a typical politician and certainly not the "messiah" as fans are trying to make him out to be. When I checked out his Chicago records on the internet, he has had many questionable relationsh­ips...Rezk­o, Rezmar Corp.Bill Ayers (bad!) Nadhmi Auchi.
Call these up and see for yourself.

Plus, He has given over $698,000 to the superdelegates vs @291,000 by Clinton. This wasn't out of the goodness of their hearts - this in itself proves he's just another politician who will use any means to accomplish his goal. Right now, Hillary, in spite of her faults, is by far the best candidate to lead our country with its numerous problems. Go Hillary !!

[BP]

And only Hillary has the audacity of audacity suggesting Obama be her VP when she trails in both pledged and total delegates.

And SNL managed to resist the temptation of such sweet humor material.

The best policies in the world won't be enough to get my vote for Hillary. Why? When it comes the decision time, her accent will change depending on the audience. She has so many personalities that I won't trust a $10 loan on.

There is one consistency in her, to be fair though. She's a closet neocon and she stuck to it.

She's the personification of all that's wrong about the democratic party establishment since the 90's.

Whom do you TRUST to take that 3am call?

[PracticalMagic]

What? Yeah, a closet neocon that supports Universal Healthcare, removing Oil Company tax breaks, and wants education affordable for all ... riiiiggghhhhtt .... and the worst thing is that you have a vote. Good Grief~

[TheInsomniac]

Yeah, she supports those now. Just like Edwards suddenly supported lots of things that he didn't vote for when he had the chance.

Hillary will not go after the special interests - THE FUND HER CAMPAIGN! Where are the tax returns? Why is her average donation so high? Why does she have a multi-million dollar 527 campaign supporting her? And why aren't you able to see that her campaign is identical to that which put Bush in the office?

[transendentilist]

Another bushie in disguise BP? I thinks it's very noticeable that suddenly, miraculously, all the bushies on the site have vanished. Gee, I wonder where they went??? Psuedo- Obamians??? Where are they?? Did they suddenly develop a distaste for political blogs??? I doubt it. I think the GOP wants obama to win the nomination. And to that end, they pretend to be obama supporters and Hillary haters.

[BP]

Yeah, keep painting all that oppose Hillary as "bushies". Makes you feel safe and righteous, right?

[Juween]

I think Republicans would much rather Hillary. I am a Republican. I think that you would see more people crossing party lines to vote for Obama. I would vote for Obama, because I like where stands on many of the issues. My husband and I just can't afford it. We would move from about 19% to 49%.

[BP]

Did you know that following prominent Clinton democrats are signatories of PNAC?

>>Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State
Ivo Daalder, Clinton National Security Council member
Martin Indyk, Clinton Ambassador to Israel
Anthony Lake, Clinton National Security Advisor
>>Will Marshall, founder Democratic Leadership Council
Dennis Ross, Clinton Middle East coordinator
>>Charles Schumer, U.S. Senator
Stephen Solarz, former Democratic Congressman
James Steinberg, Clinton Deputy National Security Advisor
>>James Webb (ex-Republican), Virginia senator (D)

Now you understand why Hillary, DLC, and so many democrat establishment enthusiastically supported Bush's war. Their so-called criticism of it today, if any, is only that Bush screwed up the execution, not that it's wrong and ill-fated to begin with.

Neocon encompasses the worst of liberalism and conservatism, and the worst of activist foreign policy and greed.

And you support Hillary/DLC?

If it's Hillary vs McCain, I'd have to either stay away or vote for McCain. At least he's not a closet neocon.

Yes, I'm taking some risk with Obama. Still beats taking a known big lemon any day.

[BP]

I wonder why Clintonians have collectively gone blind and mute on this revelation...