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Poet plans to give Ma Ying-jeou a run for his money

A poet and single mother announced her intention to run in the 2008 presidential election, hoping to attract voters who are tired of the political fighting between the pan-blue and pan-green camps.

Ellen Huang (黃越綏), who is also a writer, a TV and radio hostess, a marriage counselor and a former national policy adviser to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), told the press yesterday that the next presidential election would be a competition not between political parties, but between genders.

"We don't need to compete with men. We just let them lose," the 59-year-old said. "If men cannot rule, women should be given a chance to govern."

While about 30 percent of the population support the pan-green camp, and another 30 percent support the pan-blues, Huang said the remaining 40 percent was still waiting to be tapped.

"If I am elected, I will sit down with all political parties to have coffee, or wine, or soup or whatever, and I will appoint members of all parties to my Cabinet," she said. "If Taiwan cannot gain accession to the UN, I will bring the UN to Taiwan. Believe me, the country will be a happier place if I become president."

To qualify as an independent candidate, Huang needs to collect at least 600,000 signatures in support of her bid and raise NT$16 million (US$500,000).

Huang announced her intention to run yesterday while launching her new book A Collection of Poems by Ellen Huang.

Quoting a poem from her book, Huang called on all women to come out and support her and "let culture and poetry rule."

When asked about her campaign strategy, Huang said it would be unique, but added that it was not the right time to make it public because she was afraid that her competitors would copy her.

Though too early to tell who will represent the Democratic Progressive Party in the presidential poll, Huang said she considered Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) her biggest rival.

"Because I was born in the year of the pig, this will be a battle between the courageous pig and the weak horse [Ma]," she said.

Huang said the lead up to the election would be difficult for Ma because he would encounter resistance from members of his own party, including Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平).

She also criticized Ma for being evasive, especially when asked recently by the media whether he had met with Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛).
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