With the televised debates between presidential and vice presidential candidates concluding with the second presidential debate on Saturday, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is getting ready for a burst of activity prior to the Jan. 14 elections, DPP campaign office spokesperson Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) said yesterday.
The DPP is scheduled to hold about 40 large rallies, with both the presidential and vice presidential candidates canvassing for votes along Provincial Highway Nos. 1, 3 and 9 by motorcade, Hsu said, adding that starting from Saturday, large rally events would be held in counties and cities every night.
The DPP will also mobilize all DPP civil servants in canvassing at important crossroads as well as traditional markets, Hsu said.
Photo: Hsieh Yin-chung, Taipei Times
Following the recall of all campaign piggy banks yesterday, Hsu said more events allowing mass public participation would be organized. He added that there would also be another wave of public relations activities aimed at explaining DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) policies to the public, using mass media and the Internet.
Hsu said the DPP and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) were almost tied in the race, adding that this was the first time in 25 years that the DPP was able to go toe-to-toe with the KMT.
This shows the government has not won public support, Hsu said.
Commenting on the Yu Chang Biologics Co controversy, Hsu said it was a classic maneuver of using the state apparatus to oppress a certain presidential candidate, adding that Taiwanese have enough wisdom to judge for themselves.
History also shows that the side that uses negative campaigning methods usually loses the elections, Hsu said.
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HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
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