Soong's supporters urge him to form a new party

The prospect of forming a new political party was high on the agenda at the headquarters of defeated presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) last night, despite sadness and anger that permeated the crowd gathered there.

From the close of yesterday's polls, the mood in the Soong camp swung from disappointment to anger.

But when Soong spoke after the results became known, sentiment seemed to rise, with constant shouts asking him to form a new party, and for Lee Teng-hui step down.

Congratulating Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Annette Lu (呂秀連) on their victory, Soong said it was to the Taiwanese people's common pride that the democratic election went smoothly.

"Democracy respects the people's decision. Right now I have only a heart of gratitude and would like to send my respect and appreciation to those who have supported us," Soong said.

Soong did not directly respond to calls for him to form a new political party, but he said the election demonstrated the "great force of the people's power," adding that he hoped it would exert a positive influence on existing party politics.

"The most urgent task now is to support the new government," Soong said.

Soong's running mate Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄) gave a clearer picture on forming a new political party. "We all hope to work for all the people. We should let our supporters become a part of the team," Chang said.

Pro-Soong legislators also hinted that Soong would form a new party, which would theoretically consolidate the power of the 4.7 million supporters he gained in the election.

"Let us form a new party under the leadership of Soong and Chang, to continue to fight for the survival of the Republic of China," KMT legislator Diane Lee (李慶安) told the crowd.

Independent lawmaker Chiu Chuang-liang (邱創良) said it would take a while to decide whether a new party would be formed, but that their cross-party alliance already contains the embryonic beginnings of one.

Soong campaign officials said they had not been defeated by their own doing, but by the so-called "dump Lien to save Chen" effect, claiming it was engineered by President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).

The officials also admitted the candidate's popularity had suffered in the wake of the financial scandal that erupted in December, moving many who were loyal to Soong to throw their support behind Chen.

"Soong made the irreparable strategic mistake of saying he would `spell out the whole truth' as soon as possible.

"If he had done that, his popularity rating would not have dropped," said Pang Chien-kuo (龐建國), Taipei City Councilor and the chairman of Soong's Taipei campaign headquarters. Other officials also said the fatal strike against Soong was the "dump- save" effect.

Ever since Academia Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) threw his support behind Chen last Monday, Lee himself triggered a pattern of strategic voting between Lien and Chen, Soong campaign officials said.

"While Lee paid lip service by urging KMT members to back Lien, he also gave secret support to Chen, and hinted to his old friends -- such as Chi Mei Corp Chairman Shi Wen-lung (許文龍) -- to team up with Chen," said Soong's campaign spokesperson, Liao Wen-chang (廖文章).

Liao also accused Lee of deliberately helping to hand over the KMT's rule to the DPP.

"Looking from our own 4.6 million votes, I would say Soong did not lose, he was beaten by Lee's (李登輝) two-handed strategy," Liao said.