Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), the son of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), yesterday denied expressing any intention to run for public office, saying the media had misinterpreted a comment he had made a day earlier.
His comment, however, drew mixed reactions from his party, with some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members saying that having him run for Kaohsiung City councilor would not be a burden on the party, while others saying it could affect public perception of the party.
On Wednesday, after visiting his father at the Taipei Detention Center, Chen Chih-chung said “joining the race is also a form of service.” Later that day, Chen Shui-bian's office confirmed that the former president had suggested that his son “engage in the battle” on his behalf.
Speaking with the Central News Agency yesterday, Chen Chih-chung said that in the six months since he moved to Kaohsiung, he had been working as a legal adviser at the DPP's Kaohsiung Branch Office and had dealt with more than 1,000 cases during this period.
“Listening to people and helping them solve problems fills my heart with happiness,” he said, adding that he planned to continue his work and “serve more people.”
He said he has been encouraged on numerous occasions to get into politics and said he had promised to keep those suggestions in mind.
Commenting on Chen Chih-chung's possible intention to run, DPP spokesman Chuang Shuo-han (莊碩漢) yesterday said all party members must participate in a party primaries.
Every DPP member has the right to vie to run in an election and the party will not give anyone preferential treatment, Chuang said.
Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), executive director of the DPP's Policy Committee, said that serving as a city councilor is not a major position, therefore Chen Chih-chung would not encumber the party if he decided to run.
However, DPP Legislator Lai Kun-cheng (賴坤成) said it would be better for Chen Chih-chung to avoid a DPP shoo-in district and opt to try to “open new frontiers” in rural areas.
Meanwhile, Chen Shui-bian yesterday gave his support to former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and brushed off suggestions that Hsieh should apologize for the DPP's defeat in the 2008 presidential election.
“There were many factors behind the defeat in 2008, including Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) glamor and the DPP's split. It is untrue and unfair to blame the defeat on Hsieh alone,” Chen said during his meeting with the secretary of his office, Chiang Chih-ming (江志銘), at the Taipei Detention Center.
Chen made the remarks in response to recent comments from Taiwanese independence supporter Koo Kwang-min (辜寬敏), who on Monday called on the DPP not to get dizzy with its success in recent elections.
Koo said Hsieh was not qualified to run for DPP chairman or president in 2012 and that he should apologize to pan-green voters for losing by more than 2 million votes to Ma in the presidential election.
Chen said Hsieh has contributed to the development of democracy in Taiwan and has been lauded for his accomplishments as Kaohsiung mayor.
Hsieh yesterday said he had already apologized to voters for losing in 2008. He denied rumors that he planned to run for DPP chairman and said he supported DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) seeking re-election.
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