René van der Gijp does not think it is useful that Henri Bontenbal just went to Op1 on Monday evening. The Today Inside star thinks that the CDA leader would have been better off saying that.
Henri Bontenbal is the man who has to help the ailing CDA get back on its feet, but he is not exactly a sparkling personality. In terms of content, he mainly gets stuck in generalities, such as ‘further together’, ‘strong communities’ and ‘sustainable future’. That is why he was also severely beaten up on Op1’s talk show table on Monday.
Furball in Op1
Funnily enough for Henri, Op1 on Monday was mainly about the news that former CDA prominent Pieter Omtzigt is now starting his own party. After the success of Caroline van der Plas, it is now very difficult for Bontenbal to become another voter. And then you also have to talk about Omtzigt on TV for forty minutes…
Clumsy, says René van der Gijp. “Yes, but Johan, don’t you understand… That man has information officers and people walking around him… It’s unbelievable that that man sits down at Op1 where the first forty minutes are about Omtzigt? That’s nice too! He was already 3-0 behind,” he explains Inside today.
Jibe is critical
René would have canceled Op1. “Imagine that I have to go to Op1 to promote our program and then that happens to Pierre van Hooijdonk… Well, then I cancel. Then I say: ‘I’m not coming for a while, because then we’re going to talk about Studio Football for forty minutes.’ It was about Omtzigt for the first forty minutes!”
Wilfred Genee then: “And then he finally had to explain what the difference was between him and Omtzigt and he couldn’t figure that out at all. That made it a bit awkward.”
‘Very boring’
Johan Derksen doesn’t like the whole Bontenbal. “Even for Op1, the man was boring.”
Table guest Özcan Akyol: “You are both very strict on that Bontenbal.”
René: “No, I just said that he shouldn’t have sat there yesterday.”
Özcan: “He doesn’t have the best appearance, but I haven’t heard him say strange things yet.”
Johan: “No, but I have not heard him put forward any arguments on which people decide: ‘We are going to vote CDA for this gentleman.’ Thirty years ago, the CDA had the same arguments.”
1-0 behind
The CDA has no chance, says Johan. “They shot themselves in the foot by bullying Omtzigt away, otherwise they would have been the largest party. Now they are a splinter party and he can’t change that!”
Özcan: “What I find a bit difficult… Look, in this day and age – and also at this table – someone has to have a very good appearance, be tapped and charismatic and then you can participate. If you don’t look good, like that Henri Bontenbal…”
Johan: “Yes, then you are 1-0 behind, but if you are the figurehead, then a nice media appearance really helps, because that is what people choose.”
Content story
Unless, like Pieter Omtzigt, you have a strong substantive story, says Johan. “He has everything ready, but otherwise he is not a boy to join us in a program and have fun.”
Die Bontenbal has neither, according to Johan. “If you have a good substantive story, you always win, but they don’t have a good story. That gentleman from the CDA is kicking in some open doors and comes up with nothing new. And he also doesn’t have the persuasiveness to make it fun.”