2010-10-05 10:33:56
Mon Oct 4, 1:18 pm ET
SAO PAULO (Reuters) Voters the world over complain about having clowns for
politicians, but Brazilians embraced the idea on Sunday by sending a real one
to Congress with more votes than any other candidate.
Francisco Everardo Oliveira Silva, better known by his clown name Tiririca,
received more than 1.3 million votes in Sao Paulo state in Brazil's
presidential and congressional elections. That was more than double the votes
of the second-placed candidate in Brazil's most populous state.
Tiririca caught the attention of disillusioned voters by asking for their
support with the humorous slogan: "It can't get any worse" and a promise to do
nothing more in Congress than report back to them on how politicians spend
their time.
"What does a congressman do? The truth is I don't know, but vote for me and
I'll tell you," the 45-year-old said in his campaign advertisements.
The clown, whose stage name means "grumpy," usually appears in public wearing a
blond wig, a red hat and a garish outfit. He survived a last-minute attempt by
public prosecutors to bar him from running because of evidence that he is
illiterate.
His candidacy may not have been as spontaneous or innocent as it might appear.
Tiririca's well-financed campaign will help elect other politicians because
under Brazil's election rules he can pass his substantial excess votes on to
other candidates in his coalition, which includes the ruling Workers' Party.
(Reporting by Stuart Grudgings; Editing by Terry Wade)