There's a final point worth reflecting on: This is only the second direct election for the president in the history of the ROC. Yet the personal characters of the candidates and those around them have already become the main focus of public attention. There's little discussion of public policy. For example, there's been virtually no response to the white papers on China policy and constitutional reform issued by Chen Shui-bian.
值得反省的是，中華民國全民直選總統才第二次，候選人與週遭人等的私德便已成為輿論關注的焦點，政策面的討論反而少見關心，包括民進黨候選人陳水扁二度發佈的中國政策、憲政白皮書，僅有少數迴響。