"I found literature much more fascinating than politics," he says. "There was not an iota of enthusiasm for politics in my blood. I'd much prefer to engage in cultural events or writing," says Lin.
Since his graduation from the Foreign Languages and Literature Department at NTU in 1989, Lin has immersed himself in writing, teaching and advocating Taiwanese literature, until he joined up with Luo and Ma to campaign for A-bian.
He confides that his first impression of Chen was not that of a landmark politician. "A-bian is a remarkable political figure, yet he has no idea about how campaign publicity should run."
Lin's talent came to the fore in Chen's bid for Taipei mayor in 1994. It was a completely different type of campaign. When attending Chen's rallies it was almost like going to a carnival. While showing his strength, the humane side of Chen's personality was presented at the same time.
According to Lin, Chen's competence was obvious, but what he needed to do was emphasize Chen's grass roots background and the affectionate side of his character. The slogan Lin came up with, "Happiness, Hope, Chen Shui-bian (
The campaign not only sent Chen to head the Taipei City Government, it was also considered a turning period for the DPP.
"We aimed to fight a different campaign battle," says Lin. "In the past, the DPP was excessively caught up in its tragic past. However, to run an election campaign like this [for mayor of Taipei City], I figured that what concerned citizens more was not establishing ideology or passing on a democratic heritage, but the improvement of the quality of life. The result proved our assumption correct."
At 33, Lin has been appointed to significant positions in the city government and for a long time he served as advisor to the mayor. However, he says he is not ideally cut out for politics.
"I bear no ambition toward politics," he says. "I just feel lucky to see so many life fluctuations in such a short time. The best lesson I learned from A-bian is that neither glory nor failure lasts forever. What counts is the learning experience and how to make progress."
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