After an 11-day hiatus, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) returned to the campaign trail last night. Well, sort of. He posted a recorded message on his blog.
Hsieh has canceled all campaign activities since Sept. 28 -- the 21st anniversary of the founding of the DPP. Hsieh's campaign office said he was ill, partly because of a cold and partly as a result of the effort he expended pushing for compromise over the party's "normal country" resolution.
Hsieh appeared spirited in the video, which was made available at 7pm yesterday.
He said he had been "licking his wounds" and "recuperating." Although he had not been talking to many politicians and there was little coverage of him in the media, he said many things had been going on.
He said he was concerned about those affected by Typhoon Krosa, especially in Taipei City.
"Taipei is the capital city but the typhoon claimed so many lives and hurt so many people," he said. "Mother Nature may be ruthless, but the devastation brought by the typhoon also shows the incompetence of mankind. We could have done a better job."
Hsieh, who failed in his bid to be elected mayor of the city, said he could empathize with its residents because, like him, they needed to be looked after.
"When I was sick, my wife told me that I could depend on her," he said. "I think the people of Taiwan also need someone to rely on and that `someone' is the government."
The people will have nobody to rely on if politicians are only concern with themselves, he said.
Hsieh said he will continue to be himself and will not seek to garner votes at the expense of setting a bad example for children.
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