Insiders see DPP alienating youth, losing focus

The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) campaign shows no concrete vision and falls conceptually short of the standards of that of the 2000 presidential election, demonstrating that the party's campaign headquarters is out of touch.

This is a major factor in President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) inferior position in the polls, according to many young people who have been closely following the campaign.

Chuang Chia-yin (莊佳穎), author of the recently published A-Bian's Extravaganza, says, "Established in 1986, the DPP did everything it could to become the party that would come to power and end 50 years of KMT rule. It always enjoyed the support of most young people, who look to political parties at election time to offer an appeal that is idealistic, constructive and reformist.

"But, perhaps because it's now in power, the DPP's idealistic vision has disappeared. But it has to face the people, whose task it is to assess the results of the government's efforts over the past four years, and has therefore produced television and newspaper adverts which are of an explanatory, briefing and clarifying nature, which don't easily appeal to voters," Chuang says.

During the presidential election four years ago, as a member of the task force led by the DPP's then publicity chief, Lo Wen-chia (羅文嘉), Chuang played a role in every media announcement and publicity event.

Then aged 24, she was responsible for organizing music for campaign rallies. This year, however, she is working toward a doctorate at Lancaster University, observing the party's publicity strategy from the sidelines.

Chuang believes that the overall impression given by the DPP this time around has been inferior to that of four years ago. The party's TV ads, she believes, have placed too much emphasis on legislative and political theory and lacked the emotional and human stories that people like to read and hear.

She says campaign organization has suffered from overstaffing and quickly exhausted its resources, with the result that the campaign is like a war rather than the bold debate the DPP has traditionally favored.

"The linchpin of the publicity campaign four years ago was to give the people a clear vision of the future and a very clear demonstration of our ability, including Chen Shui-bian's own credentials, successfully inspiring and winning over students, recent graduates and those starting out in life so that these people would serve as fervent cheerleaders for the party at the grassroots," she said.

"But this year's publicity has focused on attacking the opposition's ability and sincerity and rebutting its accusations. To date, neither A-bian, the DPP nor the future have been the focus and all these things are looking cold, lonely and isolated in the eyes of the voter," Chuang says.

Indeed, the mastermind of campaign publicity four years ago, Lo, now a DPP legislator, says, "Apart from the fact that the DPP is no longer seeking its first taste of power and can no longer rely for its support on abstract visions of the future, there is a problem of a `generation gap' as far as the youth of today are concerned.

"Basically, most voters born in the 1960s and 1970s were enthusiastic about participating in the political process and about reform because they had witnessed Taiwan's transformation and democratic changes. But as these people have gradually become older and the pressures of life and work have increased, so has enthusiasm disappeared. People can't and don't have the time to get involved in politics," he says.

"The generation born in the 1980s wants something completely different. They're not interested in idealism; they want to indulge in youthful rebelliousness, fun, slightly `evil' activities. It is difficult to embrace this generation's interests," Lo says.

With the responsibilities of power and in the face of this generational change, the DPP's publicity has changed. Those involved with its strategy this year say that four years ago the party had no choice but to focus on Chen and his credentials for the presidency, which is why he was at the heart of all publicity. Now, they say, he has already been president for four years. A publicity campaign with him at the center would look stale and simply not interest voters.

"Victory will hinge on organizational combat. The effects of publicity cannot possibly be as obvious as those of four years ago," says Hao Kuang-tsai (郝廣才), writer and editor in chief for the Grimm Culture Publishing Company (格林文化).

Hao, also a core member of the DPP's publicity task force, said the party has to focus on the most current electoral matters, on attacking the opposition and on defending itself.

"That's a matter of reality dictating the concept," Hao said. "And so, to simply make voters fully aware of the respective positions of the DPP and the KMT on each issue is more important than outlining a vision of an abstract future."

Hao says the party's current strategy has not failed, that the effects of publicity are relative and that, in the current stage of the campaign, the KMT has simply copied the DPP's publicity.

This shows, he says, that both sides are fighting a defensive battle, creating talking points for the media and initiating discussion.

"In the final stage of the campaign we will produce publicity of a more strategic nature. Only then will it be possible to assess whether our publicity has been effective," he says.