The press conference was interrupted at one point by a man who said he had been a supporter of the anti-Chen campaign. The man criticized Shih for deceiving the anti-Chen supporters.
Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) dismissed Shih's remarks as "a joke on April Fools' Day," and said he hoped Shih would stop manipulating the feelings of Taiwanese.
"He thought Taiwanese were like fools who would stupidly follow him if he summoned them," Gao said.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (
Noting that Shih had previously said that his anti-Chen coalition was not interested in forming a political force or running for public office, Gao and Ker criticized Shih for putting his red-clad followers in a more difficult position by breaking his promises.
Asked for comments, People First Party Legislator Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) said Shih's campaign last year failed not only to force Chen to resign but also helped reinforce Chen's authority.
If the anti-Chen campaign could not touch the people's hearts, Shih's new campaign may not be able to accomplish its goal either, Lee said.
Taiwan Solidarity Union caucus whip Tseng Tsahn-Deng (
Shih was badly mistaken if he believed a second campaign could force Chen to step down, Tseng said.
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