The two, along with another tangwai (outside the party,
In 1992, they were both elected as lawmakers. Two years later, Hsieh decided to withdraw from the second stage of the party's primary in the run-up to the Taipei mayoral election, after narrowly losing to Chen in the first round.
He served instead as Chen's campaign director, when the latter took the Taipei mayoralty for the DPP. But the rivalry between the two was not over.
Seeking to boost his popularity nationwide, Hsieh ran in the 1996 presidential election as DPP presidential candidate Peng Ming-min's (
Hsieh later chose to develop his own turf in Kaohsiung after his failed presidential bid.
In 1998, Hsieh was elected as Kaohsiung mayor, outshining Chen, who was defeated in his bid for re-election in Taipei.
Not to be outdone, Chen went on to become president in March 2000. Two months later, Hsieh once again demonstrated his own strength in the party, winning election as the party's chairman.
In July last year, Chen succeeded Hsieh to the chairmanship of the party, reducing Hsieh's influence within the party.
When Hsieh won his re-election bid last month, it was partly thanks to Chen's support.
Hsieh's standing would seem to have lagged behind Chen's since he conceded the DPP's candidacy in the 1994 Taipei mayoral election. But to the public, the difference between the two has never been as great as it has become following the vote-buying scandal.
Political observers say that differences in their personalities are the key to this.
Although Chen is not considered as talented as Hsieh, he is seen as diligent, decisive, modest and willing to learn from the young.
While Chen selects strong teams to work for him, whatever his post, Hsieh by contrast, though seen as wiser and more knowledgeable, is perceived as overly calculating and distrusting of others.
"Whether serving as a mayor, or the DPP chairman, Hsieh hasn't made use of his resources to train a team of his own because he fears his subordinates might steal his resources to start a career of their own," said an official who has known Hsieh for a long time.
"His intelligence and articulateness can sometimes be a drawback because they lead to the impression that he is insincere or dishonest," said the official, who did not want to be named.
While others think him smart, Hsieh does not think himself smart enough, which perhaps explains why he has sought wisdom from convicted fraudster Sung Chi-li (宋七力) -- a notorious cult leader who claims to have supernatural powers, those who know Hsieh said.
A few days after the mayoral election last month, Hsieh sparked controversy by reiterating earlier remarks that he believed in Sung, despite his conviction for fraud.
The officials said that, with one controversy after another, Hsieh's prospects of succeeding Chen have been greatly reduced, and it remains to be seen whether he will emerge from this latest crisis unscathed.
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