"Not everything is justified in the pursuit of increasing TV time."

247 – José Serra, the PSDB's pre-candidate for mayor of São Paulo, even tried to avoid commenting on the partnership between his opponent Fernando Haddad (PT) and deputies Paulo Maluf (PP) and Luiza Erundina (PSB). While attending the C40, a meeting of mayors held parallel to Rio+20, Serra said that "it's up to the population to judge that." "That's a matter for others. I'm not going to comment. Everyone makes the alliances they see fit," he said, but added: "The PSDB has enough television time. Not everything is worth it to increase that," referring to the minute and a half that the partnership with Maluf's PP gave Haddad's television advertising.

Serra did well not to condemn the PT campaign, but not only because his opinion would not be unbiased, as he himself pointed out. After all, his PSDB was almost closing an alliance with the same PP as Maluf, which ended up being co-opted by the PT. And, at the beginning of the month, it closed a partnership, for the same amount of television time, one and a half minutes, with the PR of the former Minister of Transport and Senator Alfredo Nascimento, against whom the PSDB requested an investigation from the Attorney General's Office when he was ousted from the Ministry.

Former President Lula risked his popularity by mediating Maluf's support for Haddad – and the minute and a half of television time in question is likely to cause some political damage. But, unfortunately, the comparison with Haddad's 'opponent to beat' in São Paulo offers no encouragement to voters. The recent partnerships between the two main parties in the country in the São Paulo capital level the playing field and, at least in the political-partisan arena, even out the electoral race. It remains to be seen which minute and a half will be more worthwhile.