Chen pans opposition at DPP rally

Lashing out at the opposition alliance for boycotting his administration, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that those who lost the presidential election are the source of political chaos in Taiwan.

"It is clear that those bad losers cling to their ideology and oppose every idea and policy proposed by A-Bian," Chen said at a DPP campaign rally yesterday evening in Chungli City, Taoyuan County.

Chen cited the example of the US presidential elections, saying that when George Bush and Bob Dole lost the election to Bill Clinton, both of them showed their support for the president and did not criticize Clinton.

"But in Taiwan, those candidates who lost in March last year attack me almost every day, not only in Taiwan but also when they are abroad," he said.

The president added that the transfer of power last March was not enough, and only when the DPP becomes the majority party in the Legislative Yuan can the government function well and the country move ahead.

Chen said that "opposition leaders time and again say how much they love Taiwan, but they are the very people who have boycotted a variety of issues that I put forth for cooperation among political parties."

Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) also pledged that the Executive Yuan would give full support to carrying out all campaign promises made by DPP candidates.

Following the party's first big rally last weekend in Taichung City, Chen, Chang and party Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday again showed up in support of party candidates for county commissioner and the Legislative Yuan.

However, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), who is from Taoyuan County, was not invited to attend the rally.

Local party leaders, many shunning comment on this issue, only admitted that, while serving as Taoyuan County commissioner, Lu had upset quite a few local political leaders with her toughness and unwillingness to meet the local factions' demands.

"Lu's presence at the rally could be counterproductive," said one party official.

Commenting on why Lu has not been invited to any major campaign rallies in October, DPP Secretary-General Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) explained that "the central party headquarters is at fault. It could be that we were too slow in processing the matter to send out the invitations in time."

Lu's spokeswoman, Tsai Min-hua (蔡明華), later said that the campaign has yet to reach its final stages so the vice president can join the campaign activities next month.

The president, on the other hand, is seen by the party as a crucial force in the campaign.

Chen has promised to present himself at five major campaign rallies in vital constituencies.

The "presidential card" may tip the balance in Taichung City, Taoyuan County, Tainan County and Hualien County, where DPP candidates for positions of mayor and county commissioner are fighting a tough battle.