A "Seabiscuit" campaign that all can admire (Sanders)

[Peace Patriot]

I think most people know about that amazing racehorse, Seabiscuit, awkward and knock-kneed as a colt, not expected to win anything. For our youngsters and those who haven't seen the movies:

Seabiscuit lost his first 17 races, and when he started winning (under a new trainer, Tom Smith) did so (won or placed) under heavy handicap weights. Seabiscuit had many up's and down's before he finally faced "the seemingly invincible War Admiral" in the "Match of the Century." Way against the odds, Seabiscuit won that race, becoming the inspiration to millions of people suffering in the Great Depression.

Seabiscuit suffered further up's and down's, including a serious injury, and a grave injury (smashed leg) to his jockey (Red Pollard). Then, in the most surprising comeback in racing history, Seabiscuit (with Pollard riding) won the Santa Anita handicap, in 1940. As wiki says:

Seabiscuit is the Horatio Alger hero of the turf, the horse that came up from nothing on his own courage and will to win.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seabiscuit

And for those who don't know who Horatio Alger is...suffice it to say that Americans (and probably all humans) love an underdog!

I wrote the following early this morning in response to liberalmike27's OP, here (comment #30):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511504606

It kind of got buried in the comments there, so I posted it in the Bernie Sanders forum and now I'm posting it in GD: Primaries, because I think it's of general interest to all Democrats and progressives, to anyone interested in politics and to anyone interested in the issues that Sanders has raised, whatever your politics and even if you're non-political. I think it might be of interest to the Clinton supporters, in particular, to help you understand why we persist against the odds.

I think that the Bernie Sanders campaign is the most important event in modern U.S. political history, whether or not Sanders wins the Democratic nomination.

My comment to liberalmike27 was mostly about the HANDICAPS that the Bernie Sanders campaign has had on its back all along, now even more so. I stumbled upon the "Seabiscuit" analogy half way through this comment.

liberalmike27
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511504606

30. "truth is, last night wasn't too bad" --I totally agree.

But--viewing this as a 'horse race' (which is a narrow way to look at it)--we need to factor in the ENORMOUS HANDICAPS that have been imposed on the Bernie Sanders campaign from the beginning, from the outside. These include:

--the current Clinton/Corporate narrative that "it's over"
--the past Clinton/Corporate narratives that it was "over" at each marker on the racecourse
--the beginning Clinton/Corporate narrative that our 'Seabiscuit' never had a chance
--the cumulative impact of all of these narratives: NO COVERAGE
--the heavily imposed Corporate narrative that it's a 'horse race' and NOT ABOUT IDEAS
--the brainwashing and heavy dumbing down of the American electorate
--the shocking 99% coverage handed to Trump vs a campaign of IDEAS (Sanders)--TWO insurgent campaigns, one gets 24/7 coverage, the other gets, oh, 0.01% grudging notice after huge wins

--the Democratic National Committee's incredibly unfair bias toward Clinton
--the existing system of pay-to-play that puts almost all Dem elected officials in debt to Clinton/DNC
--all Dem elected officials (& most candidates) dependent on corporate/billionaire $ (unlike Sanders who rejects it)
--almost all Dem party officials & leaders part of the pay-to-play system
--labor unions decimated by Reagan junta; almost all labor union upper-mucks now 'players'
--erosion (almost disappearance) of Dem party principles: pro-workers, pro-poor, etc.
--in general, the simply gargantuan power of Wall Street, banksters, transglobal corps, MIC privateers, consolidated Corp media, et al, and foreign influences (the Saudis, other $$ investors)

--the frontload of rightwing states in the primaries (handed Clinton a winning 'narrative'--in truth a hollow one--going into the swing states; Sanders early wins and ties--a remarkable showing--swamped when Dixiecrats hit the Corporate airwaves).

And one self-imposed handicap: no superpacs, no Corp or billionaire money (This handicap is the core of the Sanders campaign, but it is nevertheless a handicap for operating in this atmosphere--for one thing, it doubles-down the determination of all of the above to kill Sanders' ideas and stop his campaign).

Personally, I would add this handicap: The privatized vote counting system (since 2004), with 'TRADE SECRET' code in all of our voting systems, nationwide, owned and controlled by a handful of private corporations (the biggest one, ES&S/Diebold with far rightwing connections) and no auditing in half the states and inadequate auditing in the other half. Who knows what they are doing? They, do, in fact, have the ability--the easy ability--to rig elections, and have probably done so (Bush '04, Congress, governors, state leg's).

NOTE ADDED LATER: Clinton supporters should be concerned about the 'TRADE SECRET' voting systems, too. The owners and funders of ES&S/Diebold are extremely rightwing (with connections to far RW 'christian' nutballs--for instance, ES&S was funded by Howard Ahmanson, who also gave one million dollars to the RW 'christian' Chalcedon foundation, which touts the death penalty for homosexuals!).

Conclusion: It is utterly amazing how well this campaign of ideas, led by the most principled and honest politician in the USA--and the best Democrat!--has done so far. Sanders is, in fact, still in the running as to the 'horse race' due to his incredible energy, the power of his ideas and the millions of people who have supported him as volunteers, donors and internet news activists. He has run a brilliant campaign and so have we. This campaign had NO chance six months ago. Now it has a chance, as to the 'horse race,' with March 15 behind us, and blue skies ahead.


But we need to be aware--very aware--of the handicaps we are operating under. They will probably intensify. I'm a Californian and, believe me, our state party is now a Corporate Democratic Party like all the rest. And that includes Gov. Jerry Brown. We are a socially liberal state but our Establishment is as bad as any of them on the most important matters: income inequality and filthy campaign $$ (and all its ills--lobbying, revolving door, rule by the uber-rich, etc.). I'm not saying Sanders can't win here--I think he can--but it won't be an easy ride.

ONE MORE TIME: This is a campaign of IDEAS, not a 'horse race'--or not only a 'horse race.' That is why Sanders is in it to the Convention, and, as to ideas, beyond the Convention. He has sparked a revolution--and we have sparked a revolution--that has the power to transform the Democratic Party into the party of the people once again, and to transform our country back into a democracy, which it has not been for some time now. We have only the vestiges of a hollowed out, rigged, and now Corporate-run democratic system to work with. Consider this to be the FIRST massive effort to change it from within. An amazing accomplishment, truly. And remember...SEABISCUIT! (Americans love an underdog!)

[pat_k]

1. "a campaign of IDEAS" -- Spot on!

In a similar vein:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511507143

[global1]

2. Your Seabiscuit Analogy Reminded Me Of A Peter, Paul & Mary Song.....

called Stewball. So I took the opportunity to change some of the words to the Stewball song and renamed it 'Ole Bernie'.

Here are the new words and the guitar chords for 'Ole Bernie'

Ole Bernie
(sung to the tune of Peter, Paul & Mary's - Stewball)

D Em
Ole Bernie was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine.
A D G A
He only drank water, he never drank wine.

D Em
His hair it was silver, his glasses were gold.
A D G A
And the worth of his values have never been sold.

D Em
Oh the field was crowded, and Bernie was there
A D G A
But the betting was heavy on the bay and the mare.

D Em
And a-way up yonder, ahead of the all,
A D G A
Bernie stuck by his platform, he always stood tall

D Em
They bet on the grey mare, they bet on the bay
A D G A
If they'd have bet on old Bernie, they'd be free men today.

D Em
The millennials will holler, and the seniors will moan.
A D G A
We're a country in trouble, and a long way from home.

D Em
Ole Bernie was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine.
A D G D
He only drank water, he never drank wine.


Note:
You decide who the grey mare and the bay are.

Sorry - Also note that when I posted this song that the chords lumped up at the start of each line. Those of you that play guitar should be able to figure out the chord changes. It's really very easy to play.

[Peace Patriot]

3. Thanks! That's sweet--and apt!

And I love Peter, Paul and Mary!

[Octafish]

4. Discussing the horserace prevents discussion of the horses' ideas.

Watching Wolf Blitzer rushing to spit out fractions of percentage points so he can call Ohio with 3-percent of the vote in and then rushes off to talk about Trump in the next state is great and all for dramatic effect and helping give the nice advertisers the promised ratings. It is disastrous, however, for democracy.

Thank you for putting things into perspective, Peace Patriot. Sanders has brought those Ideas That Make Us -- We the People -- Democrats back into the discussion. And, if we really do get the government we deserve, we will discuss them past the convention, through the fall, and into the White House in January.

[okasha]

5. And then there's

(Madame) Secretariat.

[ljm2002]

6. Love the Seabiscuit analogy...

...and it very appropriate!

Very nice essay, thank you!

K&R

[riderinthestorm]

7. Outstanding analogy!!! Bravo! nt