Breaking: Hung Hsiu-chu just might be quitting the race

Politics Taiwan Politics
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Completely out of left field, Hung Hsiu-chu has announced she is suspending all campaign activities in order to reflect and reexamine. Here’s a story on UDN; I can’t link to her Facebook because it’s blocked at my office. Here is a screencap from Apple Daily. My translation:

[quote]Dear friends, good evening!

Thanks to every one of you for all the support and encouragement that have let me come this far without fear.

This election is about finding Taiwan’s path forward. As I have said, the process is similar in many ways to Xuanzang’s journey west to obtain Buddhist sutras, filled with much warmth and emotion and even more hardships and dangers. This is about the major concerns about the country’s future that need to be addressed.

That is why I have chosen to suspend my activities that have taken me back and forth like a spinning top, so that I can give my time to in-depth reflection and thought. Doing so is the only way for me to continue forward unafraid and take on great tasks without going against the trust and expectations of the people.

When I have finished thinking things through, I will give a complete report to everyone.
Thank you all! Good night![/quote]

To me, it doesn’t sound at all like she’s quitting. It sounds more like she’s considering partnering up with someone else… A Hung-Soong ticket could give Tsai Ing-wen a run for her money, and Soong said just the other day he wouldn’t rule out such an arrangement. But dropping out of the race seems unrealistic, as it would totally undermine the KMT’s credibility as a political force in Taiwan. Interestingly and perhaps paradoxically, this announcement comes a day after Ma pulled longtime confidant King Pu-tsung back from retirement to try and unscrew the election for the KMT. Is it possible this is his decision? Or maybe Hung is trying to hide from media attention while Lien Chan continues to cozy up to Xi Jinping in ways that make even the KMt uncomfortable?

What’s likely is that Ma and King have asked Hung to put everything on pause while they reposition her China policy for her. She and Ma have been on slightly different pages, with Ma constantly criticizing Tsai Ing-wen for being vague on her cross-strait policy; Hung has not been able to say such things for risk of calling the kettle black. Clarity is even more important now because Ma, who is not at all happy with Lien for palling around with Xi in Beijing, may be worried that the former Vice President is giving an image of the KMT as a party of unification (are they?). This is a crucial moment for Hung to take a stance and show that she is not pro-unification and does not accept Beijing’s version of history.

Always one step ahead of the crowd, Batto’s excellent blog wrote about this before the news broke. Read about it here.

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A Hung-Soong ticket with endorsement from Wang Jin-pyng would put Tsai Ing-wen back in her place for sure.
But then again, Wang Jin-pyng is sort of the DPP’s fifth column. I would much rather have Tsai Ing-wen win the election and then crash in the next election when people realise the difference between a populist in the opposition and a populist in government.

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Maybe Hung feels that the DPP’s Tsai is going to win PERIOD. So she’s just losing her chance at a future presidency with her bid now.

It’s every dog for himself now, everyone is out to get the bone, if not this time, leaving the opportunity for next time.

Tsai winning is a foregone conclusion.

I’d bet a buck on that.

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More than any of that I’d say. That’s two metaphors and a lot of thinking and shit. I’d put it on Soong-Hung level

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I’ve always felt like accusing a politician of populism, especially in Taiwan, is basically an admission that the other side is out of touch with the people. Regardless, in this election, if anyone’s a populist it’s Soong. He is riding on discontent with the KMT and unease toward the DPP and taking potshots at both, all while trying to appeal directly to young people. Moreover, in an election plagued by vagueries and no real policy, Soong hasn’t really offered anything at all, far less than either Tsai or Hung have.

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Really? :doh:

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If Donald Trump is going to be the next US President, why cant Taiwan have Janet Hsieh as Prez? May as well.

Fun Taiwan !!

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Really? :doh:[/quote]

Its gotten to her head already. Leaving her out of the picture is best before she starts to refer to herself in the third person as well (like Chennie).

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She only said she’s “suspending” her campaign. She did not say she quit, but rather she’s probably waiting for anyone who dares to get rid of her to surface.
Basically she’s betting that nobody will do it decisively. Then, she’ll resume her campaign and those who want her out will need to shut up once and for all.

Looks like I’m right on this one. Her office says she’s just taking a break for a couple of days.
newtalk.tw/news/view/2015-09-03/64209

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I hope she won’t quit.

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Her staff said they’re in it till the end.

But for a woman who can’t even run her own campaign, do people really have faith she can run a country? She is taking a break literally because she has run herself into the ground and is handing over the reigns to Ma and King. That does not bode well for someone aspiring to lead the country.

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[quote=“Hokwongwei”]Her staff said they’re in it till the end.

But for a woman who can’t even run her own campaign, do people really have faith she can run a country? She is taking a break literally because she has run herself into the ground and is handing over the reigns to Ma and King. That does not bode well for someone aspiring to lead the country.[/quote]
No one has faith on her. I just want to see KMT humiliated and panicked, and having this old hag as their presidential candidate is gonna make that happen. :slight_smile:

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[quote=“Gain”][quote=“Hokwongwei”]Her staff said they’re in it till the end.

But for a woman who can’t even run her own campaign, do people really have faith she can run a country? She is taking a break literally because she has run herself into the ground and is handing over the reigns to Ma and King. That does not bode well for someone aspiring to lead the country.[/quote]
No one has faith on her. I just want to see KMT humiliated and panicked, and having this old hag as their presidential candidate is gonna make that happen. :slight_smile:[/quote]

I kind of give HHC some credit for pluckiness. Amidst the overall failure of the KMT leadership regarding the identification of strong and viable candidates, I salute her for getting on the playing field and engaging. If she withdraws and the KMT puts forth someone else, I’d see it as the ultimate triumph of party nepotism over the expression of “popular will” as expressed in the party’s own nomination structure.

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[quote=“hsinhai78”]A Hung-Soong ticket with endorsement from Wang Jin-pyng would put Tsai Ing-wen back in her place for sure.
But then again, Wang Jin-pyng is sort of the DPP’s fifth column. I would much rather have Tsai Ing-wen win the election and then crash in the next election when people realise the difference between a populist in the opposition and a populist in government.[/quote]

Populists are often a disaster in government in any country because they don’t trust the bureaucracy, they “parachute” friends into positions because they distrust the bureaucracy, and they don’t like to make difficult decisions that may irritate the well-intentioned but often illogical grassroots. While I don’t think Tsai is a populist (I think she’s an elitist at heart), the party apparatus certainly is. :2cents:

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[quote=“Hokwongwei”]Her staff said they’re in it till the end.

But for a woman who can’t even run her own campaign, do people really have faith she can run a country? She is taking a break literally because she has run herself into the ground and is handing over the reigns to Ma and King. That does not bode well for someone aspiring to lead the country.[/quote]

Am I the only one who thinks Hung must be a really good
partner in a BDSM relationship? Ouchy!

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[quote=“Vilnius”][quote=“Hokwongwei”]Her staff said they’re in it till the end.

But for a woman who can’t even run her own campaign, do people really have faith she can run a country? She is taking a break literally because she has run herself into the ground and is handing over the reigns to Ma and King. That does not bode well for someone aspiring to lead the country.[/quote]

Am I the only one who thinks Hung must be a really good
partner in a BDSM relationship? Ouchy![/quote]

As opposed to her DPP opponent who seems like a cold fish.
(correction, frozen fish)

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[quote=“Vilnius”][quote=“Vilnius”][quote=“Hokwongwei”]Her staff said they’re in it till the end.

But for a woman who can’t even run her own campaign, do people really have faith she can run a country? She is taking a break literally because she has run herself into the ground and is handing over the reigns to Ma and King. That does not bode well for someone aspiring to lead the country.[/quote]

Am I the only one who thinks Hung must be a really good
partner in a BDSM relationship? Ouchy![/quote][/quote]

Yeah you are the only one. I suggest a sexual and emotional relationship with someone other than Mommy. Because after that you know (or don’t), women in power just don’t have to be trivialized to make you feel secure behind your monitor.

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Am I the only one who finds it deeply offensive that a conversation about two female candidates has moved to the bedroom…? I don’t believe the flob spoke this way about Ma vs. Hsieh in 2008.

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I think it is clear so do I, no?

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[quote=“Vilnius”]
Am I the only one who thinks Hung must be a really good
partner in a BDSM relationship? Ouchy![/quote]
Are you serious?