Lien, Soong hold dramatic rally

Some pan-blue die-hards had even decorated their pets with ROC flags and Lien-Soong banners, while other pan-blue faithfuls wore red bands on either their head or around their arms with the words "try hard" written on them.

"We really have not been happy during the past four years of Chen Shui-bian's presidency," said a 40-something pan-blue supporter surnamed Wang, as he stood in the gathering at Ketagalan Boulevard with his wife.

"The pan-blue camp will surely win [the election] with the force of three parties," said the pan-blue faithful, referring to the KMT and its two splinter groups, the PFP and the New Party.

When the clock hit 3:20pm -- the number that coincided with the presidential election date of March 20, pan-blue supporters fervently waved flags and banners in the air and shouted the slogan "Change the President, Save Taiwan" while others blew horns and whistles, showing their desire to change the president.

The pan-blue alliance's spokesman, Alex Tsai (蔡正元), last night claimed that the nationwide marches had drawn over 3 million people, although the exact number of participants was difficult to verify as the police refused to give an estimate.

Former premier Sun Yun-shuan (孫運璿), who has long been wheelchair-bound because of a stroke, stood on stage with the help of others, spoke to the crowd in a feeble voice and urged them and their friends to support Lien.