The relationship between President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) -- a much-talked-about subject since the DPP came to power last May -- has hit another low with the forthcoming publication of a book by Lu, in which she says that the media and Chen's aides have treated her as "an alien."
While Lu's bold statement has sparked heated discussions and speculation in political circles, the vice president dismissed the response yesterday, saying the rhetoric was merely "rumors deliberately spread by vicious-minded individuals."
In the meantime, to quash rumors that the Presidential Office was again being wracked by tense relations between the two leaders, Chen Che-nan (陳哲男), who is deputy presidential secretary-general, said the speculation was absolutely groundless and asked the media to stop "overly interpreting a simple statement."
"As presidential aides, we all respect Lu. And her relationship with the president has been very smooth," Chen said.
One year after becoming the first female vice president in Taiwan's history, Lu apparently is not enjoying her prestigious status, and there are incessant rumors that she and the president have such a strained relationship that Lu is virtually cold-shouldered by the government operation.
Compilation of speeches
Anxious about being neglected by the Presidential Office, the vice president compiled the speeches she has made over the past year and turned it into a book entitled The true words to Taiwan -- the first year of Vice President Annette Lu (
The book is to be launched on May 13.
In the book, Lu does not hide her displeasure at being sidelined, saying her difficult situation in the government was only natural because both the media and the president's close aides had considered her "an alien."
Citing numerous political incidents to prove her sentiments, Lu said in the book that the Presidential Office once issued a press release concerning her without informing her beforehand.
And, she said, in another instance, when she attempted to safeguard the president, who was under threat for being recalled by the opposition forces, her good intentions were distorted as being an attempt to maintain her own grip on power.
Media `tricks'
With regard to media reports that she had transgressed her bounds last August by calling high-ranking officials to seek advice on crucial national affairs without notifying the executive branch, Lu rebutted the reports, saying she felt dejected because of the media's usual tricks to sow discord between her and the president.
The meeting with the officials was designed to ease strained cross-strait relations, she said, adding that everything she had done was in service of the nation's interests, and she had not meant to usurp power or violate the country's political system.
A newspaper report regarding the incident yesterday quoted the president as saying that "even he did not dare" to summon officials to report to him directly without gaining approval from the Executive Yuan. The report also said Lu's audacious move had put the then-premier Tang Fei (唐飛) in a very difficult situation.
Responding to the media's questioning, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) said he was in "the process of understanding the situation."
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