Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday said she did not care who was picked to run with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in next March's presidential election.
"I totally respect the decision of President Chen in terms of choosing his running mate," Lu said in a press release made available by the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon.
Lu added that she has fulfilled her dream of becoming the first female vice president in the history of Taiwan.
"With the consent of the president, I'm more than happy to pass the baton to someone else as the party is so full of talent," she said.
Commentator Hu Chung-hsin (胡忠信), however, said that Lu's remark was a mere political tactic intended "to make concessions in order to gain advantages."
"Now that the pan-blue camp has chosen its candidates for next March's presidential election -- KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) with PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) as his running mate -- attention has shifted to the pan-green camp, with the public wondering who will pair up with Chen for the election," he said.
Every move and interaction between President Chen and Lu has been under the media's microscope, Hu said, with analysts eager to spot any sign that the two will team up again for next year's election.
Local Chinese-language media has begun drawing up a list of names of partners for Chen.
Among the speculative candidates to become Chen's future deputy are Mainland Affairs Council Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Council for Hakka Affairs Chairwoman Yeh Chu-lan (
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