Column Peter R. DeVries: Joran & Pauw & Witteman

Yesterday night Joran van der Sloot responded by phone on the Dutch talk show Pauw & Witteman. Interesting and smarter still, they got him while probably the whole world press was looking for him. My praise for that, but what then followed was not the least bit impressive. Joran pretends that it was all empty words and that he only said what our insider “wanted to hear”.

Not the most believable defense, to say the least, but even weaker was the questioning of Pauw & Witteman. They are considered the interview canons of Dutch journalism, but yesterday night they were about as effective as two broken cap guns. They were so happy they had Joran on their show and could make world news again following the wine incident, that the result was an almost submissive attitude. These were not critical journalists with sharp questions, but two boys who could interview their favorite soccer player for the school news paper.

Peter R. DeVries