Chen Shui-bian Hopes James Soong will Restore DPP to Power

Chen Shui-bian Hopes James Soong will Restore DPP to Power
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
November 25, 2011

Summary: James Soong has compared himself to Chinese patriots Liu Ming-chuan and Wen Tian-hsiang. But people are already referring to him as a "Blue Camp Wang Ching-wei, Green Camp Wu San-kui." Is this a case of the present overshadowing the past? Or that was then, this is now?

Full Text Below:

Two months ago this newspaper's Black and White Collection published an editorial entitled "James Soong's Two Certainties."

We said that James Soong can be certain about two things, and reasonably expect about one thing. First, he can be certain that his petition will garner over 258000 signatures, and enable him to run for president. Secondly, he can be certain that if he runs for president, he will be defeated. Thirdly, he can reasonably expect that he will undermine Ma and help Tsai, ensuring Tsai Ing-wen's victory.

For James Soong, the first certainty has already been realized. His petition has succeeded. Yesterday he and Lin Jui-hsiung completed the registration process. James Soong is now on his way to realizing his second certainty -- certain defeat.

James Soong is certain to be defeated. He says "As long as 30% of the voters who support Ma Ying-jeou switch their support to me, I can win." This of course is nonsense. But given the election climate, if Soong wins 4% of the vote, or 300,000 votes, he will ensure Ma Ying-jeou's defeat. A Tsai Ing-wen victory is something James Soong can reasonably expect, It is the real purpose behind James Soong's candidacy.

James Soong wants Ma Ying-jeou defeated. This could be considered a settling of personal scores. But if James Soong's real purpose is to help Tsai Ing-wen get elected, could this be considered a patriotic gesture?

Wherever James Soong makes an appearance, national flags flutter, and red, white, and blue buntings proliferate. He casts himself as the champion of the Republic of China. He depicts himself as the successor to Chiang Ching-kuo. But cross-Strait relations and affairs on Taiwan are in turmoil. This election is critical. James Soong knows perfectly well that Ma Ying-jeou is a defender of the Republic of China, and that Tsai Ing-wen is running on behalf of Taiwan independence. Yet he is determined to topple Ma Ying-jeou and help elect Tsai Ing-wen, This is what baffles so many people.

Toppling Ma Ying-jeou is not why James Soong insists on running. Helping Tsai Ing-wen get elected, that is Soong's real goal. Even more appalling is how Soong is exploiting the "patriotic masses" sporting national flag shirts on their backs while waving national flags in their hands. He is using them as flesh and bone stepping stones, to ensure that Tsai Ing-wen is elected President of the Republic of China. But do these people really support his goal? Soong insists that his goal is to topple Ma Ying-jeou, Do these people really not understand that Soong's real goal is to deliver the presidency of the ROC into the hands of Tsai Ing-wen? Do these people really not know that Chen Shui-bian has publicly declared that James Soong is helping the Democratic Progressive Party return to power?

Politics is a dirty business. Deception is commonplace. But to make superficial appeals to the masses to defend the Republic of China, while actually using them to divide the Republic of China, is too cynical and manipulative to stomach. Has James Soong ever told the masses who support him that his real goal is to get revenge against Ma Ying-jeou? Even if it means subverting the Republic of China?

If Tsai Ing-wen is victorious, James Soong can attempt to benefit from this setback for the nation. James Soong can choose to take Ma Ying-jeou down with him. James Soong can publicly proclaim his willingness to rip the Republic of China apart. But James Soong cannot claim he is being loyal to the Republic of China, while actually wreaking havoc upon the Republic of China. James Soong is setting fires in order to loot the ruins. He is exploiting the "patriotic masses" sporting national flag shirts on their backs while waving national flags in their hands.

James Soong is greeted with applause from the Green Camp wherever he goes. He is "waving the national flag to oppose the national flag," His ability to manipulate people is amazing, But it is not fit for polite company. This has nothing to do with Blue vs. Green ideology. Politics may be dirty. But ultimately one must have a bottom line, an inviolable final vestige of humanity and civilization. If one willingly betrays one's own humanity and civilization, the inevitable result will only be personal ruination.

When the election is over, James Soong will have thoroughly destroyed any remaining vestige of his own humanity. He may help Tsai Ing-wen get elected. But the DPP will probably be afraid to invite public condemnation by offering him any significant reward. When a person has debased himself to this degree, he can hardly call himself a man. How can he possibly play a role on Taiwan's political stage or in cross-Strait affairs?

Public officlals must not cultivate private relations or nurse private grudges. James Soong hates Ma Ying-jeou. That is public knowledge. But James Soong's real purpose is to precipitate an upset in the Republic of China presidential election and benefit from the resulting chaos, This is something the public does not know. We predict that even if Ma Ying-jeou is toppled as a result of James Soong's chicanery, he will receive nothing in return. The question is whether the "patriotic masses" following James Song really want an election upset. What will they get from any such upset.

James Soong has compared himself to Chinese patriots Liu Ming-chuan and Wen Tian-hsiang. But people are already referring to him as a "Blue Camp Wang Ching-wei, Green Camp Wu San-kui." Is this a case of the present overshadowing the past? Or that was then, this is now?

陳水扁譽宋楚瑜是民進黨執政推手
【聯合報╱社論】
2011.11.25 02:58 am

兩個月前的一篇《黑白集》，標題是〈宋楚瑜的兩個「一定」〉。

該文的導言說：宋楚瑜走到今天，有兩個「一定」，及一個「極可能」：一、連署「一定」可逾二十五萬八千份，跨越門檻。二、他若參選總統，「一定」不會當選。三、他若參選，則「極可能」倒馬扶蔡，由蔡英文當選。

現在，宋楚瑜已實現了第一個「一定」，連署過關；昨天，他與林瑞雄已完成登記競選，向他的第二個「一定」邁進：一定落選！

宋楚瑜一定落選。他說，「只要投給馬英九的有三十％轉給我宋楚瑜，就能當選」，這當然是癡人說夢；但是，以目前氛圍來看，宋只要能拿到四％左右的選票（約五十餘萬票），就可能使馬英九落選、蔡英文當選，這卻是他「極可能」做到之事，這也正是宋楚瑜參選的真正目的。

宋楚瑜欲使馬英九落選，或許可以解釋為「報私仇」；但宋楚瑜真正的目的其實是要助蔡英文當選，難道可以解釋成「報國恩」？

宋楚瑜現身的場面，充滿國旗與國旗裝；他以中華民國的衛士自居，又以蔣經國的傳人自詡。但是，如今正值世局、兩岸及國事如此危疑動盪之際，在這場關鍵選戰中，宋明知馬英九較傾向捍衛「中華民國」，而蔡英文則是代表台獨參選，他卻偏偏要拉下馬英九、扶上蔡英文，這正是許多人看不懂的地方。

「拉馬英九下台」，不能解釋宋楚瑜為何執意參選；「助蔡英文當選」，才是宋的真正目的。更令人駭異的是，宋楚瑜正在運用那些穿著國旗裝、手搖國旗的「愛國群眾」，要他們成為扶助蔡英文當選中華民國總統的人肉樓梯；但這究竟是否這些群眾衷心追求的目標？或者，他們並不明白宋楚瑜雖在口頭上說是要扳倒馬英九，而其實則是要將中華民國總統的職位送給蔡英文。豈不見，陳水扁公開稱譽宋楚瑜是促成民進黨再執政的推手。

當然，政治本來就可能十分汙穢；所以，欺騙蠱惑也是司空見慣之事。可是，倘若在表面上是以「捍衛中華民國」來號召群眾，但在實質上卻是要將群眾利用為「撕裂中華民國」的工具，這就未免太過愚弄群眾了。宋楚瑜曾否告訴他的群眾，他的真實主張是：為了報復馬英九，不惜以把中華民國攪得天翻地覆為代價。

宋楚瑜當然可以企圖在蔡英文的勝選中找尋他刀口舔血的縫隙，宋楚瑜也大可不惜「吾與馬英九偕亡」，宋楚瑜甚至也儘可以公開表示「不惜把中華民國搞個四分五裂」。但是，宋楚瑜不應打著「效忠中華民國」的旗號，實際上卻是欲在他一手造成的「中華民國亂局」中，意圖火中取栗，且利用那些穿著國旗裝、手搖國旗的「愛國群眾」作他探火取栗的貓腳爪。

宋楚瑜在綠營的喝采及支持中竄出，又操弄「打著國旗反國旗」的愚民路線；出神入化的手法令人驚嘆，但這畢竟難登大雅。這樣的評價無關藍綠，只因政治縱使也有汙穢卑鄙，但終究須有一個人性及文化可以勉強容忍的底線；若恣意踐踏人性及文化的底線，終不免落得身敗名裂。

宋楚瑜經過這次選舉，恐是人格掃地；即使他助蔡英文當選，民進黨也恐怕不敢冒大不韙賞他一杯羹。這樣扭曲可怕的人格，恐連做人都難有餘地，遑論在政壇及兩岸立足？

「大夫無私交／國士無私仇」。宋楚瑜仇馬，這是眾人皆知；但宋的真正目的是想掀翻中華民國的桌子而趁亂在桌底下撿菜吃，這卻是不可告人。我們可以預言，即使馬英九被宋拉垮，宋也一定撿不到剩菜可吃；問題是：追隨宋的那些「愛國群眾」，是真的想掀桌子嗎？而又能在掀翻的桌下得到什麼？

宋楚瑜曾自比為「劉銘傳」與「文天祥」，如今卻有人稱他「藍營汪精衛／綠營吳三桂」；這究竟是今非昔比，或是昨是今非？