Did Özgür Özel get a big 'well done'?

It wouldn't have come to light if Buket Aydın, one of the prominent women of the palace media, hadn't revealed it.

It turns out that the first thing Özgür Özel did after taking the seat from Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the CHP by calling for "change" was to call Buket Aydın.

She came out and told the story beautifully on her program on Haber Global.

Apparently, they have known each other and been talking since 2015. Moreover, when he came in first in the primary election in Manisa that year, Buket Aydın called him and said, "You are a true left-wing leader figure, I congratulate you."

Özgür Özel must have thought he was graced by a royal greeting, as he never forgot that conversation from back then.

After the party congress, he didn't eat or drink; he grabbed the phone. He shared his happiness with the words, "You said this to me. Look, now I have become the CHP Chairman."

We don't know if Buket Aydın pleased his heart by saying a big "well done to you," but the fact that Özgür Özel, who holds the title of Chairman of the founding party of the republic, acted literally like a teenager after being elected is significant in terms of answering the question of why opposition politics in Turkey cannot seem to produce a strong and charismatic leader!

As far as it is understood, he has not yet fully grasped what it means to sit in the seat of Atatürk, İnönü, and Ecevit.

He has not internalized the title of "CHP Chairman" that he carries; after crossing the finish line at the congress, he became what the old-timers call "newly-rich" (buldumcuk)!

If he gets lucky and becomes President one day, we will wait and see if he calls Buket Aydın to say, "Look, now I have become President too," and if he wants another big "Well done" in return!

Under normal circumstances, the subject should not have been dwelled upon too much by calling it "political gossip."

However, it does not escape careful eyes that for some time now, CHP members have been in an effort to curry favor with the women of the palace media—far beyond the journalist-politician relationship.

For some reason, when those who talk big in politics see the women of the palace media, they suddenly lose their nerve.

Yet, the whole world knows that these women, rather than carrying the title of "journalist," lead the dirty propaganda activities and perception operations carried out against the CHP, acting as "operatives."

Let's say they are unaware of this or are showing good intentions.

But is it normal for Özgür Özel to be so intimate with Buket Aydın, who tried to mock Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu—whom Özel had not allowed a speck of dust to settle on until just yesterday—in a way that far exceeded her bounds?

Was he not at all bothered by her disrespectful, condescending, and hurtful attitude toward his party in the program where she hosted Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu before the March 31 elections?

Does he not know that the reason for the existence of Buket Aydın and others is hostility toward the CHP?

Perhaps he is not aware, but there is a great hatred, beyond mere reaction, in the CHP base toward these women who are used as window dressing to legitimize the medieval mentality that dominates the country.

In the CHP, where voters experienced an emotional detachment after the May 14-28 elections, shouldn't there be more caution regarding the sensitivities of the base?

Is it so difficult to form a strong and experienced team that determines a "communication strategy" rather than having a single press consultant, writes the Chairman's speeches by weighing them with the precision of a jeweler's scale, and more importantly, establishes and maintains a balanced relationship with journalists and works in coordination with the party spokesperson?

In the ruthless universe of politics where perception is ahead of fact, eloquence with a voice strained until the throat tears can only go so far.

What is truly important is to create a rational communication strategy based on social psychology; otherwise, it is impossible for either him or the CHP to get anywhere by trying to curry favor with Buket Aydın and her ilk.

We know that Özgür Özel is not the only example of this.

Before the election, Ekrem İmamoğlu also took Nagehan Alçı, whom the opposition segment hates to say the least, on his Black Sea trip in a way that no one could understand the logic of, and not only did he take her, but he even posed for a happy photo with her.

Moreover, he reacted to the criticisms directed at him by saying, "it means nothing to me."

İmamoğlu's spokesperson, Murat Ongun, who tried to manage the situation, first said, "We don't care about those debates. They are just comments among 200-300 people. Nagehan Alçı is very popular in that region. We are looking at the big picture," and then he lost his seat.

Did Özgür Özel also look at the big picture while calling Buket Aydın? Who knows?

In short, he should not squander the credit opened to him with these and similar behaviors. Politics actually requires thinking and acting by splitting hairs; politics is not done by grabbing the phone and calling here and there as one pleases, engaging in unnecessary debates on social media, or trying to keep up with everyone's remarks!

There is no need to separately remind what Deniz Baykal's losing the measure in these matters cost him and Turkey.

Let us underline once again that Özgür Özel needs to fully grasp the seriousness of the seat he occupies and act accordingly, and let us put a period to our article.