As two years ago Yen Ching-piao was elected speaker of the Taichung County Assembly shortly after doing the honors of lighting the opening firecrackers, having James Soong set off the opening round this year naturally elicited a great deal of speculation concerning the upcoming presidential election.
由於顏清標兩年前受邀點燃起馬砲，後來當選台中縣議會議長，宋楚瑜這次被安排點起馬砲，也引起與總統大選有關的聯想。