I think Soong is washed up. Wang might very well run; he’s popular across the board (at the moment). That worries me, as he tries (like a certain president) to be all things to all people.
[quote=“Poagao”]I think Soong is washed up. Wang might very well run; he’s popular across the board (at the moment). That worries me, as he tries (like a certain president) to be all things to all people.[/quote] Soong’s been washed up for a while - but that never stops him. I used to like Wang quite a bit, but he’s so busy trying to please everyone it’s hard to say what he really thinks.
Probably, damn I wanted to use the Sogo coupon angle when I became president.
Yes, Wang has positioned himself well. But would the Deep Blue mainlander base accept another Taiwanese as a candidate? A Wang candidacy would force the KMT to decide whether it is a political party or the repository of a social identity. Prediction: Wang won’t be able to get the ticket so that the KMT won’t have to face its internal contradictions. Ma has massive support from the KMT Deep Blues and will alienate the fewest people. I think the indictments will be made to go away, and Ma will run in '08 as planned, and probably lose another close election. Perhaps they can salvage something by running him with Ma.
And then there is Soong. I disagree, Poagao. He still has a large following in the KMT and his career may not be over yet. What about a Ma-Soong ticket in '08?
They’re both mainlanders, so I doubt that would work. There’s also the possibility of a cross-party ticket with Wang and perhaps someone like Tsai Ying-wen.
What an interesting idea. But there’s that Deep BLue base to think about.
It would piss off deep colors across the board, but it might gain enough moderates to win anyway.
[quote=“Poagao”]It would piss off deep colors across the board, but it might gain enough moderates to win anyway.[/quote] Hope it actually happens. Seems like it might be able to ease the current stalemate. No matter which party dominated the legislature it would leave more room for some level of cooperation.
I think Ma will certainly be the KMT candidate.He absolutely crushed Wang in the party chair race. He’ll do it again in the party nominations. The Blue rank and file correctly see Ma as their single hope of getting back into power. They want to win desperately now and they will support the candidate that they think is a winner. Wang’s only hope is to run as an independent or a cross-party ticket. Wang and Cai Ying-wen would be an excellent choice, if they could get Cai to agree and if LTH endorsed the ticket.
Here’s a 100% unsubstantiated rumor, our favorite kind: Wang and Hsieh on a “third-way” ticket endorsed by LTH. Or, Wang and Lu on one ticket (perhaps the pink party). I don’t think voters would largely support some new, third way or third color since it would be too new and a marriage of convenience.
However, voters did support Soong in 2000 in his maverick campaign, so who knows.
Maybe the real effects of a joint ticket would depend on which candidate drew the most votes away from his/her former party/color. So, if Wang steals more votes from the KMT than Hsieh does from the DPP, then their pairing could help the DPP into office after all. Or, vice versa if Hsieh is relatively more popular with greens.
But Soong luster went dull when LTH implied that Soong was involved in a huge scandal back in the 2000 presidential race. I don’t think there is much of a comeback for the guy now, too much baggage.
I disagree. He’s still got support in the KMT, and other KMT leaders are every bit as corrupt as Soong. And the Chiang charisma rubbed off on him.
He’s not done yet.
Vorkosigan
Hows this pair for a cross party ticket?
taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003341308
[quote]Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) raised political eyebrows when they made a rare joint appearance in an interview aired by SET TV last night.
The interview, recorded on Monday, rekindled rumors which circulated last month that former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) was intending to form a “third political force” along with Lu and Wang.[/quote]
Yet Wang is dirtier than anyone major in the DPP. I doubt he’d be able to project a clean image…
