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Nation surprised to see president, Ma attend same event

Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) characterized a "Bian-Ma ticket" for next year's presidential election as "creative but not realistic."

"This idea is creative, but not very feasible," Ma answered when asked about the possibility of himself and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) siding together to campaign for the presidency next year.

"It is because I have a job now and there is no need to help me find another," he said.

"In addition, this suggestion is unfair to Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮)" Ma joked.

The relationship between Chen and Ma entered the spotlight among government circles again when both attended the same ceremony at Pao An Temple yesterday.

Days before the ceremony, the possibility of a "Bian-Ma ticket" had been floating within the DPP.

Ma thanked DPP members for their consideration, but said he would do his best and be a good mayor rather than pursue other options.

Ma's reply, however, echoed claims made when he was to run for the Taipei mayor for the first time in 1998.

Back then as a professor at National Chungchi University, he was insistent that he would not run for the top job in city government, and reiterated his denial approximately 200 times until the last minute.

In contrast, Chen did not respond to the media inquiries regarding the match.

Chen was accompanied by Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) yesterday morning to the temple and later sat next to Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) during the ceremony. Chen and Wang could be seen talking to each other.

Ma arrived late because he was held up in a routine city-affairs meeting.

Chen and Ma shook hands, but they sat with one seat between them and did not talk to each other.

KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) responded to the situation saying that it was sad that the DPP could not find suitable candidates within their own party.

"They can apply to us [the KMT] for talent, and we can try to help," he said.

"Otherwise they could not find anyone to run for Hualien County commissioner and now they cannot find anyone to run for vice president," Lien said.
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