Wrong message, right track?
United States Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama rose to rock star status on the back of a theme and a slogan emphasising change. Why, then, does Hong Kong's prominent civil rights lawyer-politician, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee base her campaign on what looks like exactly the opposite theme? 'We have withstood the test of time. Our values do not change,' is the slogan of the Civic Party candidate.
Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee explained: 'The reason is simple. America has been on the wrong track. But our representative in Legco has always been on the right track.'
As if to illustrate that Ms Ng's principles have stood the test of time, some of the profession's most respected elders were present to support her yesterday. Others not usually associated with the Civic Party, such as barristers Gary Plowman and Anthony Neoh gave written support.
Ms Ng said she had complete faith in the values of the new generation of lawyers. She cited as an example Bar Association chairman Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung, who sprang to the defence of judicial independence after Vice-President Xi Jinping's remarks that there should be 'support' among the judiciary, the legislature and the executive authorities. The move by Mr Yuen, who is in his early 40s, 'made me very proud', she said.
More bickering on the lists
Observations by analysts that this election will be more about infighting within political camps than anything else are looking more valid each day.