Quake over, campaigns begin in earnest

As presidential election campaigning intensifies after the lull caused by the earthquake, candidates are busying themselves organizing local campaign offices and preparing their agendas.

In the wake of the 921 quake which killed more than 2,400 people, all the presidential candidates suspended their campaigns to show solidarity for the people struck by the disaster.

But the Yunlin county commissioner by-election in early November gave an opportunity for presidential candidates to reignite their campaigns.

Independent presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) introduced his running mate last week, further heating up the election atmosphere and now the campaigning is almost back to full swing.

After deciding on a vice presidential candidate, Soong's next major task will be the signature drive, organizational development islandwide, and setting out policy platforms, his campaign officials said.

Independent candidates like Soong who are without political party endorsement will have to solicit around 220,000 signatures for them to enter the presidential race, as stipulated by election regulations. The formal drive for signatures will begin Nov. 23.

It is expected that there will be few problem for Soong in garnering enough signatures. The question, rather, is how many he will get. Some rumors say that Soong's goal is one million, but his campaign officials have denied that there is such a goal.

Starting from this week, Soong will begin promulgating his policy white papers, said Wu Jung-ming (吳容明), chief executive officer at Soong's campaign office.

Drafts for these papers, on issues such as defense, the economy, and the environment are ready and undergoing a last stage review before release, Soong's aides said.

Strengthening their respective campaign organizations in the nation's counties and cities is being done by both Soong and Chen Shui-bian (3?糮?/CHINESE>), their campaign officials said.

Chen's campaign office in Pingtung was established last Friday and this will lead to other offices being set up in the other 22 cities and counties, his spokesman You Ying-lung (游盈隆) said.

Chen will announce his policies on major issues such as foreign relations and national defense in the near future, You said.

KMT candidate Lien Chan (3s戰) has not as yet set up any campaign office and his party has not been mobilized into action, but he and his party have been urged to do so.

Ting Shou-chung (?B|u??), KMT legislator and party official, said Lien should have his campaign office organized and put into operation as soon as possible.

Lien and his running mate premier Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) had hoped foreign minister Jason Hu (-J志強) would be their campaign manager.

Hu, yesterday, reiterated that he had not yet made his mind up on whether to take the job, but Siew said his decision would be respected.

"Quake relief work is already over, Lien should start cranking up on election campaigning by elaborating on the policy issues that people care about," Ting said.

Although Lien's support level has been lagging behind other major candidates in various opinion polls, the KMT seems to believe in the organizational advantage of its party machine.

"When the time comes, they [the KMT's opponents] will understand the KMT's power at the grassroots," said a senior KMT legislator.

Naturally, all candidates have their weaknesses and these have to be addressed, otherwise they will be attacked in the months to come, analysts said.