Former DPP chairman Hsu endorses Frank Hsieh

Hsieh and Ma held a TV debate yesterday afternoon. They tried to win voters who will go to the polls on March 22 to elect a new president.

The ex-DPP president visited Hsieh’s campaign headquarters prior to the two-hour debate to voice his whole-hearted support for the frustrated candidate.

“I wish to express my support for Hsieh, who is capable of action,” said Hsu, who could not meet the DPP standard bearer to extend the endorsement in person.

Ma Ying-chiu is incapable of action, Hsu said.

Yeh Chu-lan, Hsieh’s campaign manager, met Hsu instead. “I understand,” Hsu said, “because he had to be busy preparing for the debate.”

A controversial politician, Hsu may not have any political clout and is incapable of helping Hsieh win the March 22 race.

After serving as DPP president for two terms, Hsu ran unsuccessfully for president and for the Legislative Yuan.

He is a fading has-been, who has enraged hardcore DPP supporters for his cozying up with the opposition Kuomintang and for his pro-unification stand.

In fact, Hsu joined the Kuomintang in protesting against the re-election of President Chen Shui-bian in 2004. Hsu fasted for three days in a sit-in protest against the “unfair” election four years ago.

Chen was reelected, thanks to sympathy votes cast following what is dubbed as an “assassination attempt” on the eve of the presidential election. The president was superficially wounded by a homemade bullet fired by a gunman, who committed suicide out of remorse, according to a yearlong police investigation.

Why Hsu should make an about-face again to support the DPP candidate is hard to explain. But even harder to explain is why Hsieh needs Hsu’s help, which is dubious at best.

Hsieh seems to forget Hsu advocated unification with China, though the ruling party has never let up an attack on Ma Ying-jeou for being a “filial son” to his deceased Kuomintang apparatchik father whose death wish was “to oppose independence” and “to make the Chinese nation strong.”

The DPP candidate may also forget Hsu’s son is working in China, though continuing to lash out at Ma for keeping a “green card” for permanent residence in the United States.

A green card is Hsieh’s excuse for doubting Ma may sell out Taiwan.

Moreover, Hsu’s nephew is currently Ma’s campaign spokesman. Tsai Shih-ping, the new spokesman, is a son of Hsu’s sister.

Tsai said the ruling party has been “unfair” to his maternal uncle.

“My uncle has been maligned and falsely accused (by the DPP),” Tsai said. “The Democratic Progressive Party owes him a public apology,” he pointed out.

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