What’s in a name? A Candidate by any other name…
For those who haven’t been listening closely to their NPR, it turns out that there are at least eight Barack Obamas running for election in Brazil this year. Yes, you heard that right. Under Brazilian law, it turns out, candidates are allowed to run for office under any name, as long as it’s not offensive. So eight aspiring politicos, including a former air conditioner salesman and a man claiming a resemblance to Obama (but not actually bearing one), have officially changed their names in hope that it will bring them victory in October’s municipal elections.
Sorry to be getting political. We’ll try to keep it chaotic, emergent and fun.
Via Concurring Opinions [link to http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/09/barack_obama_me_1.html no longer works]. Photo: AP [link to http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Barack-Obama-Belford-Roxo-Rio-de-Janeiro-election-law/photo//080918/481/1f6d3ab140554385ae408ed4a579517a//s:/ap/20080918/ap_on_el_pr/lt_brazil_obamas_3;_ylt=Alge2qCtVktzXO56uH7nhD9h24cA no longer works]
political is good.
How many Adam Shostacks are running?
Adam, That’s pretty funny. You know, Brazilians may be trying to imitate him, but apparently the Irish just want him to be one of theirs. “There’s no one as irish as Barack O’Bama.” Have you seen the video?
http://www.videosift.com/video/Sing-Along-Theres-no-one-as-Irish-as-Barka-OBama
i feel like i’m asking a stupid question, but – if all 8 are called barack obama, how will voters know which one they’re voting for?