Huck is a broken record, says Mello Franco.

247 - In his column this Sunday, journalist Bernardo Mello Franco addressed the presidential ambitions of TV host Luciano Huck.

Below are some excerpts from the text:

"Gone are the days when Luciano Huck used scantily clad models to boost ratings. Cleverly, the presenter sensed the changing winds and traded Tiazinha's whip for charity marketing. He started distributing money, renovating houses, and promoting weddings. He gave a new face to the old televised assistance programs."

Now Huck is flirting with another persona: that of a presidential candidate. 

The presenter is making moves without much discretion. He has been talking to four parties: DEM, PPS, Rede, and Novo. In recent weeks, he has met with at least two ministers from the Temer government. One source says he is cautious but shows "a lot of willingness" to run. The idea gained strength with the decline of João Doria, who rode the wave of anti-politics in 2016.

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Those enthusiastic about the idea say that the presenter would give a sympathetic face to the unpopular discourse on reforms. He would be a lifeline for the shipwrecked members of the Temer government and the PSDB party. At the same time, he would have the potential to "enter the Northeast" and compete for votes among Lula's supporters.

The venture would be riskier for Huck himself, who would have to give up multi-million dollar contracts and the peace of celebrity life. In recent days, he has already been criticized for his close ties to figures like Aécio Neves, Sérgio Cabral, and Eike Batista. Explaining these friendships during a campaign might be harder than fixing a beat-up car on TV."