TAIPEI, Taiwan — A convenient — or worse, faked — assassination attempt? Blatant fraud at the ballot box? Conspiracy theories abound in Taiwan's disputed presidential election. . . .
It all began Friday, when bullets nicked President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu as they campaigned. The shots, which caused only minor injuries, turned out to be a life-saver for Chen, who was trailing challenger Lien Chan by up to 6 percentage points, then apparently won a narrow victory yesterday.
No one has been arrested in the shooting, and no one has claimed responsibility, leaving people to blame just about everyone from China and the participating political parties to a gambling ring that stood to drop a fortune if Lien won.
Among the rumors feeding the speculation:
• Chen used the attack as a pretext to activate the national security apparatus, meaning 200,000 military and police — traditionally Nationalists — were too busy to vote.
• The invalidated ballots — 337,297 in a race won by 29,158 votes — were three times the number rejected in the 2000 presidential election.
• Stories that Chen, while running for elected office in Tainan 18 years ago, appeared at an election eve rally wheeling an intravenous drip and claiming that he had been poisoned by the opposition Nationalists. He reportedly appeared healthy the next day. . . .
• The seemingly relaxed security around the president before the shooting. He stood in a roofless vehicle driven slowly through a crowded, two-lane street and did not wear a bulletproof vest.
Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Communications and International Economic Policy, Trade, Oceans and Environment of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundredth Congress, First Session, May 27, July 15, and October 30, 1987
The hearings were charied by Sen. John Kerry. A previous piece on Libertythink broke down how it was that Kerry covered for the Bush connection to drugrunning, like a good Bonesman should:
Schwarzenegger will be in Israel for the ground-breaking of the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem, officials at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles confirmed earlier this month.
"Governor Schwarzenegger has accepted our invitation and will be the guest speaker at the ground-breaking ceremony on May 2," Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and director of the Museum of Tolerance, told Haaretz.
"This will be the first time he is leaving the state of California for a foreign country, and we are proud that it is for a visit to the State of Israel."
Oscar winner Nicole Kidman has struck up a bizarre new friendship with 67-year-old multi-millionaire Lord Jacob Rothschild -- which is conducted via text messages. The beautiful actress, 36, met Rothschild -- a British banker -- through mutual pal Fiona Fox, who produced Kidman's Academy Award-winning drama "The Hours."
According to British newspaper the Daily Mail, Kidman calls Rothschild by his nickname Fossil, while he refers to her by the moniker Nic.
And the pair's favorite topic of conversation is flowers, which they were overheard discussing at London's Royal Opera House during a party for Anthony Minghella's civil war epic "Cold Mountain" last year.
One source comments, "They share a love of flowers and text each other all the time. Fossil likes people to know he's still cool."
