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DPP lawmakers eager to see Hsieh in mayoral race

Several Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday responded positively to the possibility of former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) running in the Taipei mayoral race in December after local media reported that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will personally prevail on Hsieh to take part in the election.

The Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister newspaper) reported yesterday that Chen hoped to persuade Hsieh to make himself eligible.

Hsieh is currently studying at Harvard University, but plans to return to Taiwan at the end of the month.

Hsieh's personal assistant, Albert Lin (林耀文), said yesterday that the president had not yet contacted Hsieh.

"Hsieh will return to Taiwan at the end of the month and he will listen to everyone's opinions in terms of this idea," Lin said.

The Presidential Office yesterday also denied the report, saying that it would not intervene in the selection of candidates for the mayoral election.

DPP spokesman Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) also denied the report, saying that the party had never heard such a proposal.

Tsai said that if Hsieh were to run in the Taipei election, he believed that his chances of winning would be quite high.

"But no matter who represents the party in the Taipei mayoral race, the DPP will gather all its resources to help the candidate to win," Tsai said.

DPP legislators Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) and William Lai (賴清德) said that the DPP would help candidates who will be able to help the party.

A number of DPP lawmakers, considered to be Hsieh's dream team, will depart for the US today to visit him.

DPP Legislator Hsieh Hsin-ni (謝欣霓) said that the party has suffered from a low approval rating for a long time, and considers the year-end mayoral elections in Taipei and Kaohsiung as the key to making a comeback.

"Hsieh has been the kind of person who is willing to make sacrifices to help others. I believe he will make a decision that helps the DPP to win," Hsieh Hsin-ni said.

Former DPP legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄), the only DPP member who has announced his ambition to contend for the Taipei mayorship, was unwilling to comment on Hsieh's possible candidacy yesterday.

"I think President Chen has had enough vexations. It would be better not to increase his problems at this point," Shen said.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) announced yesterday that it would nominate political talk show host Clara Chou (周玉蔻) to run in the Taipei election.

Chou will not withdraw from the election, regardless of what the DPP says, TSU Secretary-General Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) said.

Lo will be the TSU's candidate for the Kaohsiung mayoral election.
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