Obama talks political violence, modern political environment at Pa. event

Erie, PA (WJET/WFXP)– The 44th president of the United States brought a packed Erie Insurance Arena to its feet Tuesday evening.

Tuesday night’s conversation with President Barack Obama focused on the politics of the moment.

It was an enormous, and as you would imagine, supportive crowd that greeted President Barack Obama and the conversation began with the subject of political violence.

The images tell the story. Outside Erie Insurance Arena, thousands of people were standing in lines that went for blocks in several directions.

Inside, this picture from the Jefferson Educational Society. The crowd estimated by JES prior to the event at more than 7,000.

“My biggest takeaway is that we need to come together more as a nation right now. Unity is the number one thing, and that’s what’s going to get us through these hard times,” said Jessica Zawilla, who attended the event.

Barack Obama and moderator, Erie native Steve Scully, began their conversation with the topic of political violence.

The 44th president condemned the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, saying we have to extend grace, but still be allowed to disagree with ideas.

“He said we have to have a rule book, we have to have a guideline and rules that we’re all deciding to play by so that we can collectively exist as humans that we can give people the benefit of the doubt,” Angelica Spraggins, another attendee, said.

Obama did call out the current administration for, his words, “targeting enemies,” saying at moments like this, the job of the president is to pull people together.

The conversation, at one point interrupted by someone yelling questions about the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

“Even when there was somebody that yelled, and interrupted him, he really handled it well, I feel like, and he decided to speak on that topic, which not a lot of speakers would do,” Antonio Santiago, another attendee, went on to say.

Regarding the Middle East, he said the current crisis is the result of mindsets where people see themselves as better than others.

As he spoke about the Middle East, President Obama said when we dehumanize people, bad things happen. He also criticized the use of the military on American streets.