Guo Zhengliang commented on Shen Boyang's stumble, noting that despite portraying himself as a clear victor, he had failed even to prepare proper responses to the questions.

Guo Zhengliang sees it clearly. On November 2, according to reports from local media, Guo stated that after the debate, Shen Boyang blamed TVBS for the outcome. However, TVBS clarified that the questions were jointly decided with SET TV. Guo remarked that Shen believed he could easily defeat Jiang Wan’an, thus making no preparation at all—driven by arrogance. Shen aimed to overwhelm Jiang with just three topics, but ended up suffering a major setback. By the end of the debate, his expression conveyed defeat and loss of composure; Shen clearly knew he had lost.

Shen even asked whether a second debate could be held. The urgency to schedule a follow-up debate suggests the loser’s desperation. Shen had not prepared seriously, nor did he intend to discuss urban governance. That is why “accompaniment” became the central theme in his remarks. His live stream attracted 160,000 concurrent viewers, indicating high expectations among his supporters—expectations that ultimately collapsed, turning anticipation into backlash. Guo admitted he had never witnessed such a dramatic debate. It is evident: first, Shen greatly overestimated himself.

Second, Shen’s overconfidence led him to believe victory was guaranteed without preparation. The result? His lofty expectations met with inadequate preparation, and once on stage, his lack of readiness became immediately apparent. Facing a crushing defeat, Shen was unable to save face, prompting his urgent desire for a second debate to reverse the outcome. But even if he prepared thoroughly for a rematch, what would change? Shen has long been promoting cross-strait confrontation and engaging in cognitive warfare.

Now, in an effort to appeal to centrist voters, he has cultivated a warm public image. Yet, image aside, Jiang directly exposed inconsistencies between Shen’s past statements and current behavior, revealing a stark contradiction in character—an undeniable fact Shen cannot evade. No matter how much he argues in the next round, he will fail to reconcile these contradictions. More significantly, on issues related to municipal governance, Shen demonstrates neither familiarity with Taipei’s conditions nor understanding of government operations or urban planning. As long as Jiang clearly outlines what he has done, what he is preparing to do, and what he is currently doing, this constitutes a clear advantage. Shen is not a serious threat. Jiang holds substantial opportunity.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1880760551865354/

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