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Hsieh, Ma ready to spar face-to-face in first of two debates

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidates are set to spar face-to-face today in the first televised debate in the run-up to the election.

DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) camp yesterday said Hsieh would use his creative, easy-going personality and casual speaking style to get his points across.

BLAME GAME

Hsieh's campaign spokesman Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) said that Hsieh and his staffers were happy to see the debate finally come to fruition after negotiating with KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) camp for months.

The public will finally have a chance to compare the two candidates' policies, character and ideals during two events, Chao said.

Hsieh and Ma have accused each other of avoiding a debate since Hsieh first extended an invitation last October. While Hsieh accused Ma of turning down his invitation to debate, Ma said Hsieh was being impatient and debates would be held sooner or later.

TWENTY QUESTIONS

Today's debate will be the first of two televised debates organized by the Central News Agency, the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister newspaper), the China Times, the United Daily News, the Apple Daily and the Public Television Service.

The second televised debate has been slated for March 9.

For the debate today, the two candidates will answer 20 questions from citizens during a two-hour session before grilling each other.

Gay marriage, environmental issues, preservation of Aboriginal culture, farmland conservation, the Suhua Freeway and human rights are among the issues to be covered.

LISTENING ONLINE

Chao yesterday said Hsieh placed great importance on the 20 questions that will be asked by members of the public at today's debate, adding that Hsieh had prepared thoroughly and consulted his campaign advisers.

Hsieh has used online chat platforms such as bulletin boards popular with students to learn more about the political and social issues that most concern younger voters.

Ma's camp yesterday said that Ma had concentrated all day yesterday on preparing for today's debate.

Ma will seek to steer the debate toward economic issues, his campaign office said, adding that he would take the opportunity to rediscover the nation's core values.

SPECIAL HELPERS

"This is the first time citizens have been invited to ask the candidates questions. I place high importance on the debate and will try my best to help the people better understand my policies," Ma said yesterday after attending an event in Kaohsiung.

Ma received help preparing for the debate from his spokesmen Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) and Luo Chih-chiang (羅智強), KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) and former Taipei City Information Department director Yu Tzu-hsiang (游梓翔) and his wife Chow Mei-ching (周美青), his office said.

PLATFORMS ONLY

Luo said Ma believed Hsieh could grill him over his US green card and his family members to shift the focus of the debate away from the discussion of policies.

Ma will ignore any challenges from his counterpart concerning issues that he deems are not relevant to the debate and government policy.

The KMT candidate plans to stick to discussing his platform, Luo said.
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