The Chinese-language Liberty Times reported that Lien Chan, failed Presidential candidate and former Chairman of the KMT reamed out KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou for the way he was treating Wang Jin-pyng, his rival for the KMT Chairmanship. Instead of immediately building bridges back to Wang, assigning him a place of importance, and treating him with the respect due his many years of service and immense backstage power, Ma has elbowed Wang aside after publicly accusing him of cheating in the Chairmanship elections. Lien rightly took Ma to task for this shortsightedness. Wang has many supporters within the KMT, and had the backing of Party insiders for the Chairmanship. People will put up with almost anything, if they can keep their dignity. Will Ma catch this error in time?I've said all along that (1) we'd hear from Wang again and (2) Ma lacks political sense. It seems Lien Chan agrees with me.
UPDATE: (12/23) David refutes me thus:
Hmm ... gotta disagree there. If Ma is doing something which pisses off Lien Chan, then he's probably doing something right.
The onus is on Wang (who got *thrashed* in the election despite support from party insiders) to build bridges - after he also accused Ma of cheating in the election.
The importance of keeping dignity? Tell that to Ma who was almost run over by Wang when trying to shake hands after the election, and who eventually had to lie in wait for Wang at KMT headquarters just to get to speak to him.
Elbowing Wang aside? Ma very publicly offered him a vice-chairmanship of the KMT, and Wang flat turned him down.
There are lots of things I like about Wang (most notably his moderation and willingness to talk to the DPP), but after the election he displayed an unpleasant and Lien Chan-like sense of entitlement - and he deserves no special treatment for that.
Ma should treat senior KMT members with the respect they deserve - not with the respect they think they deserve. At this moment the KMT needs Ma far more than Ma needs the KMT, so he can afford to put a few senior noses out of joint ...
Additionally, the English papers are reporting that Ma denied that Lien lambasted him.
Another comment below sagely notes:
Of course what Lien Chan is saying is "Ma should make more room at the trough for our moneyman". Wang was such a popular speaker because he made sure that interests on both sides of the LY got to feed. Lien Chan has no more respect for the wishes or votes of rank and file KMT members than he does for the wishes or votes of Taiwan's electorate. The election for the chairmanship may be over, but the power struggle is not.
[Taiwan] [KMT] [Ma Ying-jeou]
Hmm ... gotta disagree there. If Ma is doing something which pisses off Lien Chan, then he's probably doing something right.
ReplyDeleteThe onus is on Wang (who got *thrashed* in the election despite support from party insiders) to build bridges - after he also accused Ma of cheating in the election.
The importance of keeping dignity? Tell that to Ma who was almost run over by Wang when trying to shake hands after the election, and who eventually had to lie in wait for Wang at KMT headquarters just to get to speak to him.
Elbowing Wang aside? Ma very publicly offered him a vice-chairmanship of the KMT, and Wang flat turned him down.
There are lots of things I like about Wang (most notably his moderation and willingness to talk to the DPP), but after the election he displayed an unpleasant and Lien Chan-like sense of entitlement - and he deserves no special treatment for that.
Ma should treat senior KMT members with the respect they deserve - not with the respect they think they deserve. At this moment the KMT needs Ma far more than Ma needs the KMT, so he can afford to put a few senior noses out of joint ...
Well, from my perspective, pissing off Lien Chan is great.
ReplyDeletehe importance of keeping dignity? Tell that to Ma who was almost run over by Wang when trying to shake hands after the election, and who eventually had to lie in wait for Wang at KMT headquarters just to get to speak to him.
You have a good point here, but.....Wang is a time bomb that Ma needs to find a way to handle. Both Wang and Ma feel that same sense of entitlement, and as you say, Ma is powerful at the moment -- one might say he has the support of the mob, while Wang has the support of the party leadership.
I'm curious to see what happens. My gut says Wang is itching for some payback for the loss.
i agree with both of you.
ReplyDelete1) It was Wang who was cold, not Ma.
2) pissing off Lien is great.
:)
Of course what Lien Chan is saying is "Ma should make more room at the trough for our moneyman". Wang was such a popular speaker because he made sure that interests on both sides of the LY got to feed. Lien Chan has no more respect for the wishes or votes of rank and file KMT members than he does for the wishes or votes of Taiwan's electorate.
ReplyDeleteThe election for the chairmanship may be over, but the power struggle is not.
Can someone please tell me why DPP supporters have such a hard-on for Wang? CSB has tried to draft him into service twice this year, and now you're defending him while still damning the KMT on all other fronts?
ReplyDeleteDo you guys really like him, or is this simply a perverse attempt to split the KMT?