Tone of political rhetoric headed into election season

LUZERNE COUNTY, EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU)— As we learn more details about Saturday night’s shooting, party leaders, political analysts and candidates from both ends of the political spectrum continue to weigh in.

28/22 News reporter Amelia Sack joins us live in the control center with that side of the story.

The conversations I had today all centered around the same themes: unity, security, and turning down the temperature on political rhetoric.

“We have this freedom in American politics to express ourselves, and sometimes that freedom to speak might go into a very dangerous territory,” stated David Yonki, political analyst.

Following Saturday’s shooting, David Yonki of the Lu Lac Political Letter, says changes must be made.

“I think we have to look at all public figures before we demonize them as basically human beings who are trying to do the best that they could, with the beliefs that they have,” said Yonki.

Democratic party of Luzerne County chairman Thomas Shubilla says the shooting was the boiling point for an already tense and concerning political climate.

“We have volunteers who say hey I really don’t want to knock on doors. I really don’t want to come face to face with people because I don’t know what they are going to do,” noted Shubilla.

Like many other campaign offices, the Democratic Party of Luzerne County is suspending operations for the time being. Additionally, they’re bringing in security as a precaution.

8th Congressional District Republican Candidate Robert Bresnahan also weighed in, noting that the political rhetoric we hear on both sides, contributes to high tensions.

“When you perpetually hear reports on the threats on democracy and back and forth from both sides I mean there’s just no place for it,” explained Bresnahan (r).

How we can move forward:

“We need to cool it down. We need to talk about how we can unite as Americans. I don’t care if its republican and or democrat or independent, we have to be sensible,” added Bresnahan (r).

And by putting those thoughts into action at the voting booth in November.

“Not into our own hands with a high-powered rifle from hundreds of feet away to try to assassinate a political opponent,” said Bresnahan (R).

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