Every once in a while you encounter a politician who is the archetype of a sleazy, entitled, arrogant fucker. In addition to groping, touching, and making unwanted advances to what sounds like every woman he encountered, Bob Filner also pled down an assault charge after being a total asshole to a baggage claim agent at the airport. And just look at that picture — Mr. Joker Face is 70 years old.
I’m sure this is old news to those of you who have been following the case, or who live in the area, but this is the first time I bothered to check into Filner, and he’s pretty revolting.
TheMightyTrowel
It really is the kind of picture parents use when they give small kids the “bad touch talk”
GregB
The sooner the Democrats can drum this creepy shitheel out of office the better.
oldster
My, but what big teeth he has.
dr. luba
TBogg is on the case:
dr. luba
@dr. luba: Well, that didn’t work, and I don’t have edit at work (IE). The quote:
Here is some simple advice…
For Bob Filner: you are a seventy year-old man and not particularly attractive, and by that I mean: not in the least. I’ve met you in person several times so I know this to be a fact. And while it is said that power is an aphrodisiac, there isn’t enough combined power in the known world (solar, nuclear, gas-fired, wind, coal, wood chips, the smouldering gaze of George Clooney) to make women secretly wish that you would grab them in a headlock and thrust your tongue down past their uvula. I know, weird, hunh? So, stop it. Resign. Buy a fleshlight, it never wears panties. Unless you want it to.
Buffalo Rude
Jesus, that is one creepy looking guy. I almost feel harassed just looking at that picture.
Anybodybuther2016
Before I scrolled down and saw the picture I thought you were talking about the weenie. Is his wife standing by her man like Hilary and Huma?
Hawes
See! Both sides do it. It’s just Filner’s War on Women is being fought hand-to-hand.
debbie
@dr. luba:
I had a boss in the early 1980s who was totally inappropriate, but this guy makes him look like a wuss.
drkrick
@Anybodybuther2016: His fiancee ditched him earlier this month. It was going to be his third attempt.
Scott S.
I was about to say he’s got a remarkably punchable face. But I’m not sure you’d want to get close enough to touch it. Maybe a spring-loaded boxing glove.
Citizen_X
For some reason, that picture makes me hear Black Hole Sun in my head…
El Caganer
And he’s a “founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?” Jesus Christ.
Odie Hugh Manatee
That’s a face that says “Have I got a deal for you on some prime land in Florida! Now will you suck my dick and pay me for the honor?”
cmorenc
Fincher’s case helps illustrate why being completely asexual is such an asset for Lindsey Graham in South Carolina. If he’s gay, he’s kept it successfully closeted in a deep underground salt mine. In “polite” upper levels of southern society, there is a long-established folkway for such men who successfully maintain an appearance of asexuality to be welcomely accepted in such circles, including times not so long ago when actual evidence of gay orientation was considered radioactively toxic. Look upon it as the original “don’t ask, don’t tell” ethos. Such men in southern polite society seem threatening to neither men nor women.
Not at all saying that this social ethos is just or healthy in the modern big scheme of things (at best it requires gays to be deeply in the closet for social acceptance) but this is simply how things were and still are to a considerable extent in South Carolina.
Suffern ACE
Hmmm. I think he has kind of the hint of fine breeding. Like if Minnie Pearl and Milton Berle sired an offspring. Put him in a dress and rrrrooowwwl! Not exactly hot stuff. But classic comedic relief for sure.
cmorenc
OTHO, Fincher has the perfect face for a game-show host, especially the type where a little ritual humiliation of the contestants is an essential element of the show. “Let’s Make a Deal” would be a perfect fit.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@cmorenc:
That face doesn’t say Let’s make a deal. More like Have I got a deal for you! It’s in my pants.
oldster
In honor of the video that John posted the other day about German words:
Ladies, and Gentlemen,
ein wunderschönes Backpfeifengesichte!
esc
When I first heard about this, I thought maybe he had a stroke or a tumor, something that would explain a dramatic change in behavior. But one of the allegations goes back to 2005. So blergh. I voted for this creep.
Loretta Jackson
If this isn’t new behavior (say, some undetected medical condition which causes inappropriate behavior, and I don’t know that there is such a condition), how has he managed to get away with it for so long?
ruemara
Pretty pissed that San D goes blue, and it’s this fucking bastard. Jackass, way to undo the good work that got you into office.
Ethan Gach
The guy sounds terrible.
Also, would BJ rethink its ad partners? The image directly above this post is of a hot blond aimed at getting older men to click for a “viral video” presumably featuring her.
This isn’t an assertion that there is any equivalence here, only a suggestion that the slight dissonance created by juxtaposing these two things together is bad for the site.
aimai
@Ethan Gach: Weirdly, the ads are geared to you, not to the generic audience. The top ad for me is a full figured woman who wants to buy clothes that celebrate her. Very sad faced emoticon and sound of a wailing trumpet.
Esme's Mom
Would BJ also rethink the “EWWWWW and he’s 70!” stuff too? Ok, the guy’s bad, and he’s old toast. But his age is not an offense.
Paul in KY
@aimai: Mine is a Matt Bevin for Senate (dude soon to be overwhelmed by a tide of Mutant Turtle sludge) ad.
A cute girl one would be better, IMO.
Ethan Gach
There are different kinds of ads, and they change every time you refresh the page, and sometimes they are trashy, and sometimes they are not.
Obviously that’s an issue for BJ to work out with its ad services as it wishes.
mistermix
@Ethan Gach: Ads are Google ads that are based on your browsing history plus page content. I’m seeing an ad for a cloud hosting provider at the top of my page. Guess what I’ve been searching for lately – hint, it isn’t hot blondes catering to old men.
mistermix
@Esme’s Mom: The point is that he’s 70 and had bad, bad plastic surgery. Being 70 is not the issue, it’s the botox/brow lift or whatever else he did to make himself look like the Joker.
oldster
Yeah, I get Depends diaper ads and denture cream.
It’s ridiculous. I *never* put denture cream on my Depends.
Violet
@mistermix: Yes, exactly. He doesn’t look 70, but then he doesn’t look quite human. He looks all stretched out and weird.
Violet
@oldster: I got a car rental ad.
maya
Have we had our Filner of Weiners yet?
red dog
What makes Jewish politicians think they are so irresistible that they will get a pass no matter which coast they prey on.
red dog
A council member from San Diego stated that he would have been fired from any job long ago but since he is mayor certain restrictions apply. Then take away all his perks and powers.
SatanicPanic
I was excited to vote for this guy, now I am pissed. Thanks a lot fucking Filner. San Diego finally elects a Democrat and it’s this guy.
oldster
@red dog:
If you want to try to make this a Jewish thing, then you are showing off some deep problems of your own.
Bill Clinton, Jack Kennedy, Grover Cleveland–which one of them are you going to reveal as one of the Elders of Zion? I can’t wait to hear your theories.
oldster
@red dog:
If you want to try to make this a Jewish thing, then you are showing off some deep problems of your own.
Bill Clinton, Jack Kennedy, Grover Cleveland–which one of them are you going to reveal as one of the Elders of Zion? I can’t wait to hear your theories.
Funkula
In response to that photo, I would just like to say:
AAAAAAAAAAA
KILLITKILLITKILLITKILLITKILLIT
That is all.
Roy G.
The Germans have a word for this: Backpfeifengesicht – a face badly in need of a fist.
ranchandsyrup
@SatanicPanic: Totally agree. It was a huge win to keep Poppa Doug Manchester’s puppet Carl Demaio out of the mayor’s office. I’m still leaning toward letting this get the due process it deserves, though. If people want him out, go collect signatures and then vote him out.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@dr. luba: TBogg!!! Who also had advice for a certain mayoral candidate:
Plus there was an action shot! of Wembley.
burnspbesq
@esc:
And you were right to do so. On every policy issue that matters, Filner was better than DeMaio.
burnspbesq
Doug Manchester is the worst kind of rich Republican scum imaginable. It is in the interest of the people of San Diego to put up with pretty much anything to keep his minion from becoming mayor.
Dave C
@SatanicPanic:
Same here. I voted for him, and I now I just wish he would get the fuck out of office.
SectionH
I’m “ouching” for all my friends in SD who voted for Filner, whether they held their noses or willingly. (Also too, I’m pretty sure I don’t have any friends in SD who voted for DeMaio.) Of course, in our red island in SD County, we’ve got Sam Abed, who’s Joe Arpaio’s BFF. Joy.
ranchandsyrup
@burnspbesq: Agreed. Poppa Doug has a dream to turn paradise into Paradise (R) with a waterfront dominated by Manchester properties. Plus he owns the local media. Literally in a lot of cases. I still can’t believe that his puppet lost.
I have worked with the guy before so I’m biased, but I would have preferred Nathan Fletcher over Filner or Demaio.
burnspbesq
@Dave C:
Before you drop the recall hammer on Filner, make sure you’ve got an electable Democrat lined up to succeed him. Manchester won’t pass on the opportunity you’re about to create for him.
ranchandsyrup
@Dave C: I share your embarrassment but I think that resigning would have grave consequences for democrats in the future. We set up a mechanism for due process. Let’s follow it.
Dave C
@burnspbesq:
I’m not creating opportunities for anyone, nor am I involved in any recall drive. I’m just embarrassed by and pissed off that the guy I voted for turned out to be such a gigantic asshat.
burnspbesq
Even Mitt Romney (who is technically eligible to run if he is willing to admit that La Jolla is his principal residence) would be a better choice for Mayor of San Diego than a Manchester stooge.
Joey Maloney
@Scott S.: Backpfeifengesicht!
Dave C
@ranchandsyrup:
You may be right, but I think his continued presence–especially if seen to be supported by the Democratic party leadership–could be just as damaging.
Also, what exactly does “due process” mean in the context of politics? I don’t think the guy should face criminal penalties without a fair trial, but that doesn’t mean I think he’s fit to govern anymore either. Frankly, his behavior was an embarrassment even before the sexual harassment allegations started surfacing.
Hungry Joe
I not only voted for Filner, I canvassed and phone banked for him. And he was doing a great job shaking things loose from the developers who were running San Diego even before Wyatt Earp came to town to promote boxing matches. But even though Filner has long had an arrogant bastard (not the brew)/horndog reputation, it sounds to me like he’s lost some key marbles. We were finally making some real progress, and now … it’s just so damn depressing.
ranchandsyrup
@Dave C: It means that there is a recall procedure in lieu of Filner just resigning. It means that the people decided that he was the better candidate and a minority of vocal people can’t kick him out. It means that the City and County wrote this process into our laws. I really don’t like slippery slope arguments, but if allegations (some from 10 years ago or so) necessitate a resignation, elections will become meaningless in comparison to the allegations the losing side could dig up to undo them.
MaryJane
@mistermix:
Um, no. The Google ads can’t always be based on your browsing history. The NCAA and “Uncensored!” videos of busty brunettes aren’t my thing.
eta, this Filner thing is depressing. Such a lovely city, such shitty politics.
Dave C
@ranchandsyrup:
Fair enough. Like I said to burns, I’m not actively trying to drum him out of office. I just wish he wasn’t such a goddamn scumbag.
The Moar You Know
OK, I live here. And Filner is a royal piece of shit – BUT:
He’s the first Dem we’ve had as mayor in decades. It’s still a Republican town. He is on the right side of things as far as unions and schools go. Again, we’ve been fighting those issues for decades here, and we finally have a guy who is not willing to sell working folks down the river.
Schwarzenegger, Vitter, Craig – the list of Republicans who’ve done WAY WORSE and suffered ZERO consequences for it is literally too long to list. But Dems get an ass grabber in office, and want to run him out on a rail.
This is why they’re winning even with a minority, and why we’re losing. If San Diego Democrats get their way and toss this turd from office, they will have done the political equivalent of shooting yourself in the head because you have a headache. I hope he tells everyone to go fuck themselves and stays. And fuck any of you who think he should resign. When he does something as bad as the average Republican then we can talk.
The Moar You Know
@burnspbesq: THANK YOU. This is the issue in a nutshell. We’re a mayor away from being back to a one-man billionaire’s company town again, like we were back in the 1970s. I’m sure it would be nice for everyone’s conscience to get rid of this guy, but he’s all we have. Suck it up and deal with it.
WereBear
Man came of age during the 1950’s, when this was considered normal behavior.
Like most people in their seventies, he’s never bother to readjust his mind since he turned 21.
Dave C
@The Moar You Know:
I don’t want to argue your broader point as I don’t necessarily disagree with it, and I don’t recall what Schwarzenegger did, but I would argue that what Filner is alleged to have done is substantially worse than what Vitter did. In my book, sexual harassment is much more serious than having paid consensual sex with a prostitute.
Schlemizel
LUV that photo! But you are very wrong about him looking joker-like. He looks a lot more like a bug trying to tighten his edgar suit
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ktDoNRAHdCU/TJOkmofJ3gI/AAAAAAAAEBI/q5IGUuFxjMg/s1600/edgar.jpg
Hungry Joe
@The Moar You Know: I mostly agree with you and burns … but I’m afraid Filner will be crippled by all this, and ultimately ineffectual, and that by standing by him, progressives will be damaged in the long run. But you’re right, there’s a real danger of Manchester and his minions once again seizing control of the city. In short, I’m at a loss. The only thing I’m sure about is that I’m depressed.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@MaryJane:
NCAA and busty brunettes? You might want to ask your significant other if they’ve been using your computer. ;)
PAC Man
I am so disappointed in everything about this. Its always worse when progressives (who should know better) turn out to be such idiots. How can someone who was a Freedom Rider have so little respect for women and be this horrible of a person? So depressing.
http://voiceofsandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/app/credentialedimg/filnerfreedomrider073112.jpg
comptr0ller
Apparently he will no longer get an Lifetime Recognition Award nor be the keynote speaker at the upcoming National Women’s Veterans Association Gala. However, [not a joke] it will still be called: the San Diego Mayor’s Benefit Gala
MaryJane
@Odie Hugh Manatee:
Yeah, I considered that but he has two of his own. I’d be more pissed about him using it and seeing my my browsing history. ;)
wenchacha
@Loretta Jackson: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one. It causes a loss of inhibition in patients. I thought this guy was a candidate for the disease, but it sounds as though he’s been a jerk for a number of years, and that this is not a recent development.
Jon Gallagher
@dr. luba:
Yeah and he points out we (sentient) San Diegans would still vote for Filner over his opponent, a gay(?!) teahadist of the oily, unctuous, unblinking persuasion
Mackenna
First word that comes to mind is EEL!
Mackenna
@mistermix: He thought plastic surgery would improve his inner molester’s chances.
He reminds me of the Saran-wrapped ladies in Brazil. (“My complication had a little complication!”)
EthylEster
@The Moar You Know:
Perhaps not the best choice of words.
..and you’re a guy, no?
So you wouldn’t be doing the sucking and the dealing….
Hans Moleman
@The Moar You Know: I don’t want a Manchester stooge either, but Filner’s gotta go. Seven of the city’s most respected women have said that he harassed or groped them. That’s a lot of credibility in these testimonies. There is absolutely no good coming from defending someone who has no respect for women. None of this was consensual, and frankly, the gravity of the situation is pretty serious. Shit would have gotten him fired at Kinko’s, but lucky for him he’s an old white man with a Congressional background. We deserve better Democrats. It’s frustrating that he won’t resign, though, because we have a better chance of getting those better Democrats if he does — there will be a special election primary and then a runoff. If it goes to a recall, first person to a majority wins. All this tells me is that he doesn’t give a shit about the city, just how much power he can cling to.