My husband and I made a wager.
He insisted that San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (Democrat) would be forced to resign once the women in Democratic Party leadership began clamoring for his ouster. I said that he would never leave office willingly — he would need to be forced out legally.
Looks like I am being taken out to my favorite sushi place for dinner, as the mayor announced Friday he would be entering a rehabilitation facility to treat his apparent addiction to sexually harassing women:
Mayor Bob Filner, who has been dogged by calls for his resignation over sexual harassment allegations, called his treatment of women “inexcusable” Friday and said he would undergo two weeks of intensive behavioral therapy but not relinquish power.
“I must become a better person,” Filner said in a statement he read before a throng of reporters. “And my hope is that by becoming a better person I put myself in a position to someday be forgiven. However, before I can even think of asking for forgiveness, I need to demonstrate that my behavior has changed. And that will only happen over time and only if such incidents never, ever happen again.”
This is despite the fact that leading women in the Democratic Party (e.g., Nancy Pelosi, Debbie Wasserman Schultz) have asked for Filner to resign.
Just before the press conference, there was talk among our local punditry that Filner would be taking a “leave of absence”. However, he couldn’t even muster that much contrition.
To say that most San Diegans are disgusted with Filner’s attempt to avoid the consequences of his disgracelul behavior is an understatement. In fact, one of the seven victims who has come forward is a professional psychologist who says he is not likely to be rehabilitated:
[Morgan] Rose, a psychologist with the San Diego Unified School District, described to KPBS a 2009 interaction with the then-congressman when he tried to kiss her and said her eyes had bewitched him. She’s watched and listen to other stories revealed this week and said it suggests a longer pattern than should be expected to change in a short time period.
“You don’t rehab these kinds of people,” she said. “He doesn’t even understand what we’re talking about. He doesn’t even have the wiring to understand how a woman feels when he does something like that.”
Filner may be smart, but he has made a dumb calculation. San Diegans will not forget about these incidents over the next few weeks. At this point, the efforts to recall him will formally begin next Monday unless he leaves willingly.
While I anticipate the local Republican party is looking forward to a “redo” after the close November election, I would encourage the area’s Democrats to strongly back the recall as well. Otherwise, it will be another 20 years before one of its party members will see the inside of the mayor’s office again.
One extra bonus: Just after Friday’s press conference, the mayor experienced a little “due process.” Filner was served with a subpoena to appear at a deposition on August 9, in the case brought by former communications director, Irene McCormack Jackson. City Attorney Jan Goldsmith said it took several days to find Mayor Filner to serve him with the subpoena.
Looks like his whereabouts for the first several weeks in August will be well known.
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There are classes where, in as early as the second day, they teach you what to do about a headlock. But they’re probably illegal in SF.
There’s a h311 of a lot of difference between real repentance and going to a rehab facility.
Didn’t work for the child abusive Catholic priests and doesn’t work most pedophiles – these people are driven by powerful forces they cannot control, and have to be removed from any place where they are exposed to temptation, relapse and capable of doing harm to others.
I’d expect Filner’s political/administrative policies are as corrupt and dangerous to society as his sexual predations and as Obama’s leftist policies: Two people added to Food Stamps for every one job ‘created’ by Obama.
People like Filner illustrate why the symbol of the Democrat party is a jackass. With a jackass, two weeks of therapy isn’t likely to be long enough to even get his attention much less work any type of behavior change.
So much for the Republican “war on women”.
Add to that, Weiner and “schmeckelgate” and we have a weiner, I mean winner.
Don’t forget Menendez and the underage prostitutes in Puerto Rico and/or the Dominican Republic.
Also, don’t forget Hillary’s cover up of the State Department official also seeking underage girls for sex.
These are NASTY people.
Don’t leave your children alone in a room with a Democrat (or a Muslim).
Don’t gloat, Leslie.
You may yet owe your husband on the bet. Filner may do both.
I know they therapy for compulsive liars but..
Do they also have therapy for compulsive politicizing?
and the democrat war on women continues unabated
As Rush says….”its resume enhancement” for democrats
Brings to mind one Billy J. Clinton, a much slicker narcissist & sex addict and his thousands of peckerdillos and his sickass wife who’s averted her eyes for decades for codependency and bottomless ambition priorities.
And, looking at current maddening polls, it looks like the women of America wish to reward her with the next presidency for–This Makes Me CRAZY–being a long suffering Victim.
Filner’s whereabouts may not be well known. Since he is being treated in a rehab, HIPPI laws require the rehab to neither confirm nor deny that Filner is there.
What is it with people that they are so gullible as to believe that there are mental health “therapies” that — what, a psychologist waves a magic wand? shakes some gourds? — cure stuff.
Having been on the receiving end of such unwanted attentions, I am willing to bet nothing will change this man’s behavior. He will continue to assault women, all the time blaming them for his failings.
Between Wiener and Filner many are missing the ongoing story of the democrat chair of the Multnomah County, Oregon (Portlandia area) that was having an affair with a county employee and, it appears helped get her a job promotion.
http://tinyurl.com/kj6vdmp
In one step, he can cure his disease. He should put his pants on backwards. With the zipper in back, any female that says she’s been accosted, will be accused of lowering his zipper. Which many of them really do. Especially now, when DNA evidence is so crucial.
I’m always amazed when people fail to realize it takes two to tango. (But only one to get angry, because she didn’t get a raise.)
Also, back in the old days, wives would be dumped in favor of secretaries. (Always young. Always buxom. Many times blonde.) Now? The reasons for divorces might vary. Just in case you don’t see the triangle.
It appears to me that the “ol’ man forgot the rule of no shame. Never put anything past a seasoned democrat when position, pride and survival are at stake. They’ll dance far better than Fred Astair ever thought of doing.
Make him pay dearly and maybe he’ll learn something in the way of street sense. Never trust a democrat any farther than someone else can toss ’em…
Just another Democrat without self-control, shame or scruples.
O/T sort of – Caption contest for Weiner photo: http://moonbattery.com/?p=33923