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TSU avoids backing Chen in upcoming presidential election

The TSU will not get involved in President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) re-election bid, a TSU official said yesterday.

Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) said that instead, a group of Lee's followers called the Clubs of Lee's Friends will help Chen Shui-bian with his re-election bid. Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) is the spiritual leader of the TSU. These clubs are made up of the same TSU supporters, with TSU lawmakers as their heads in different election districts.

The strategy is meant to remind the public that the TSU is a political group separate from the DPP, although the two parties share similar political views and are competing to win the support of voters.

If the results of last year's city councilor elections in Taipei and Kaoshiung and the Hualien commissioner by-election earlier this month are any indication, then Chen Shui-bian's support among those who favor independence seems to be subsiding, which doesn't bode well for his re-election bid, Chen Chien-ming said.

Lee will play an important role in this regard by using his influence to galvanize the support of these voters behind Chen Shui-bian, Chen Chien-ming said.

In light of the TSU's failure in last year's councilor elections in which it did not win a single seat in Taipei and only won two seats in Kaohsiung, Chen Chien-ming said his party had decided to maintain its own identity by standing apart from the DPP.

As a political party, the TSU is competing against the DPP for votes, and it would be inappropriate for the TSU to officially support a DPP candidate in the presidential election even if it itself does not field any candidates in the race, Chen Chien-ming said.
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