Chin: Su is diligent and good at political stunts but lacking in innovation. Four years into his term, he has yet to honor a great many campaign promises such as pushing for the upgrade of the county to a special municipality like Taipei City. Today, the standard of living for the county still lags far behind. It is time a different party takes control of Taipei County in line with the spirit of alternate rule. If unseated, Su may join the DPP government, which seriously suffers from a lack of talent.
TT: How much money will the campaign cost?
Lin: I will try to raise as many funds as possible in the run-up to the election. Also, the party will contribute to my war chest. I'm not worried about the issue because I don't think money will play a decisive factor in the outcome of the race.
Chin: Money is the main reason why I shunned putting up an aggressive campaign. Unlike the KMT, the PFP does not own any profit-making enterprises. I don't want to act as a panhandler, begging for funds from business groups in exchange for promises to return the favor in the future. The KMT-PFP cooperation, if it works out, will ease the financial burden. Still, it is possible to win the battle without a hefty treasury. The DPP, for instance, won a majority of the counties and cities in 1997 on a budget much smaller than that of the KMT.
TT: Mr Chin, is it true that Viola Chen (
Chin: Both Soong and his wife will absolutely help me win the election the best they can. Mrs Soong enjoys extensive support among grassroots voters. Her running would add at least 6 percent of the votes to my campaign. But I don't think it proper for me to press the request. Unlike the presidential election, candidates seeking the commissionership do not have to place the name of his would-be deputy on the ballot. So there is no hurry in deciding the matter.
TT: Mr Lin, will you go ahead and visit Soong to seek his backing?
Lin: I will seek to win support from all potential voters and Soong is definitely one of them. I will also try to win over the soon-to-be-formed Taiwan Solidarity Union and even the DPP.
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