Atypical week even for Filner: From Hooters to heartbreaking

Pete Wilson and Bob Filner [U-T file]
Pete Wilson and Bob Filner [U-T file]

The national conversation about America's Finest Scandal was elevated for about a day in between Tuesday's jokey stories about Hooters and Thursday's outbursts about Mayor Bob Filner's latest accuser, a 67-year-old great-grandmother who came forward with attorney Gloria Allred by her side.

While some people said mean things on Twitter about her appearance, part-time city worker Peggy Shannon earned a lot of accolades and empathy for her turn in front of a line of live television cameras.

"A lot of courage."

There were other reactions too.

Shannon was later scheduled to speak to Piers Morgan on CNN, continuing another incredible week of Filner national news coverage.

The high point? In short order Wednesday, The Atlantic weighed in with an insightful analysis on how San Diego's Democrats overlooked the warning signs about Filner's behavior, The New York Times ran a column by Gail Collins that eloquently cut to the chase of San Diego's controversy and The Hill explored the likelihood of former mayoral candidate turned congressional candidate Carl DeMaio running for mayor if Filner were to resign or be recalled.

That same day, former mayor Pete Wilson sparked an interesting discussion in the comments section of U-T San Diego by calling on Filner to resign. And none other than ABC News weighed in — with a story about the Hooters publicity stunt to ban Filner from eating at its four area establishments.

The Atlantic article and Collins' column are particularly worth reading. Click through when you get to the links. We'll wait for you. Here's a taste from Collins:

It is pretty much a rule that any announcement that says it’s not the time to go backward is a sign that things already have. Just as is having a headlock named for you when you are not a professional wrestler.

Read on for the conversation each story kicked up, starting with surprisingly intelligent comments from ABC News' treatment of Hooters winging Filner the other day.

ABC News: Mayor Bob Filner Banned From San Diego Hooters

eggs: So did the mayor frequent the Hooters? Did he treat the empoyees there with disrespect?

eastcoast71: If there are such "talented and beautiful women" at Hooters, why are they waiting tables for a struggling chain restaurant?

iguana lounge: Talented and beautiful women gotta eat in a terrible economy, mate. A job is a job, and I doubt these women want to work at Hooters forever - they'll be moving on once their economic needs have been met or once better options present themselves. Otherwise, I bet the tipping at Hooters is pretty good.

themushandmilk: I think all companies with a woman in any position should take a stand on this guy and take a similar stand. His response to the situation is clear he does not respect women and has no interest in educating himself. At his age he should know better or not be fit for holding an office or any position.

Publius2k: I see absolutely no irony in any of this. The waitresses at Hooters chose to work there and wear the outfits. The cocktail waitresses at any casino wear less, I've seen women jogging who wear less, and women at the beach wear and insist on the right to wear FAR less. What the women at Hooters or anywhere else wear is not an open invitation for unwanted sexual advances, any more than being in Mayor Filner's presence was. If the critics think that Hooters is not being honest, they're free to go to a local franchise and hit on, grope, or otherwise harass the waitresses there and see what happens or how far the "They were asking for it" defense gets them.


