Citing Robert Frost's poem, The Road Not Taken, DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung (
"I have done what I promised to do. One can criticize me if my accomplishments are not good enough. But I have already done the best I could," Lin told a news conference.
He then went on to read Frost's poem in which the writer explains that finding himself at a fork in a path, taking the fork less traveled had "made all the difference."
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG
Lin explained that to leave his job was his version of taking "the road less traveled." While some have urged him to stay, warning that the party might suffer if he stepped down, Lin said, "it is natural to leave the leading position because my term is up."
On the eve of Lin's announcement, President Chen Shui-bian (
Lin, however, made no comment on the meeting yesterday, saying that he had clearly stated his decision to Chen. Lin also bowed to his colleagues to thank them for their support.
Concerning what he intended to do in the future, Lin said he had not thought that far ahead. He said, however, that he was willing to help the new chairman, whoever that may be, if he were needed.
Lin's decision is expected to cause vigorous competition among contenders for the party chairman position.
Possible candidates among legislators Hung Chi-chang (洪奇昌), Yen Chin-fu (顏錦福), Trong Chai (蔡同榮) and Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄) as well as former DPP chairman Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文), Kaohsiung City Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and Taipei County Commissioner Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌).
Lin declined to say which of the possible contenders he favored. He did however, say that he thought the main qualification for a successful party chairman was coordinating and finding consensus between the various party factions.
The DPP's main factions, however, indicated yesterday that President Chen's opinion would be crucial in deciding who would succeed Lin.
Among the seven contenders, three are from the newly established "Mainstream Coalition." The coalition's spokesman Shen Fu-hsiung, said however, that the group would reach a consensus on a single candidate to endorse. DPP legislators said that Trong Chai was a heavyweight candidate owing to his standing as the first-ranked Central Standing Committee member. Hung Chi-chang, however, has the support of the New Tide faction, and claims also to have the support of Lin himself. Frank Hsieh, however, has better name recognition outside the party.
According to a resolution made by the DPP's Central Standing Committee on Wednesday, candidates for the chairman post can register between May 29 and June 2 and the election will be held on June 25 by a ballot of the entire party membership.
Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛) has died of pneumonia at the age of 48 while on a trip to Japan, where she contracted influenza during the Lunar New Year holiday, her sister confirmed today through an agent. "Our whole family came to Japan for a trip, and my dearest and most kindhearted sister Barbie Hsu died of influenza-induced pneumonia and unfortunately left us," Hsu's sister and talk show hostess Dee Hsu (徐熙娣) said. "I was grateful to be her sister in this life and that we got to care for and spend time with each other. I will always be grateful to
REMINDER: Of the 6.78 million doses of flu vaccine Taiwan purchased for this flu season, about 200,000 are still available, an official said, following Big S’ death As news broke of the death of Taiwanese actress and singer Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛), also known as Big S (大S), from severe flu complications, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and doctors yesterday urged people at high risk to get vaccinated and be alert to signs of severe illness. Hsu’s family yesterday confirmed that the actress died on a family holiday in Japan due to pneumonia during the Lunar New Year holiday. CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) told an impromptu news conference that hospital visits for flu-like illnesses from Jan. 19 to Jan. 25 reached 162,352 — the highest
COMBINING FORCES: The 66th Marine Brigade would support the 202nd Military Police Command in its defense of Taipei against ‘decapitation strikes,’ a source said The Marine Corps has deployed more than 100 soldiers and officers of the 66th Marine Brigade to Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) as part of an effort to bolster defenses around the capital, a source with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. Two weeks ago, a military source said that the Ministry of National Defense ordered the Marine Corps to increase soldier deployments in the Taipei area. The 66th Marine Brigade has been tasked with protecting key areas in Taipei, with the 202nd Military Police Command also continuing to defend the capital. That came after a 2017 decision by the ministry to station
PETITIONS: A Democratic Progressive Party official quoted President William Lai as saying that civil society groups are organizing the recall drives at the grassroots level Some civil society groups yesterday announced that they have collected enough signatures to pass the first-stage threshold to initiate a recall vote against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators in 18 constituencies nationwide, saying that they would submit the signatures to the Central Election Commission (CEC) today. They also said that they expected to pass the threshold in eight more constituencies in the coming days, meaning the number of KMT legislators facing a recall vote could reach 26. The groups set up stations to collect signatures at local marketplaces and busy commercial districts. The legislators their petition drives target include Fu
RSS