Small groups of Biden supporters protest Trump rally outside Erie International Airport

Dakota Goll waved a pride flag and felt it was his civic duty to express his support of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The 17-year-old Millcreek Township resident was one of only about 15 Biden supporters to show up and counter-protest before and during President Donald Trump's Tuesday evening campaign rally at Erie International Airport.

As thousands of Trump supporters descended on North Coast Air, where Trump delivered his campaign speech inside a hangar, Goll settled onto a patch of lawn along West 12th Street and exercised his right to protest. 

"I'm a little disappointed there aren't more Biden supporters here, but I do know there is a lot of quiet support out there for him," Goll said. "I think everybody is kind of nervous. Trump bullies people and a lot of his supporters bully people, too. I heard he was visiting Erie and I thought this is a bad idea. He just had COVID-19 and that's scary. I felt it was my duty as an anti-fascist, or an American, to come out here and say he's radical, he's dangerous. I don't want this for my future."

Goll describes himself as a lower middle-class individual who wants to see a different future for America without Trump at the helm. 

"President Trump has done a lot of things that have affected me negatively," Goll said. "He wants to get rid of Social Security and health care. I'm upset for Republicans. This isn't what Republicans are. Republicans are more moderate than this and they're supposed to work with Democrats because we're supposed to be looking out for the benefit of this whole nation and everybody in it. We're all Americans. I want us to be able to talk about things again." 

Less than an hour before Air Force One touched down at Erie International Airport, Warren County resident David Oberg, 60, and a small group of his friends stood along a West 12th Street sidewalk and rallied in support of Biden and LGBTQ rights.

Oberg said he wants to see and hear certain messages from Biden starting with Thursday's second and final presidential debate in Nashville, Tennessee, before the Nov. 3 election, 

"What I want to see from Biden is some civility and some of the things we're normally used to in a debate where two men who should be of great honor sit and discuss the issues in an intelligent, respectful way," Oberg said.  

Oberg said he would like to see Biden in the final two weeks of his national campaign reinforce to America that he should be the preferred presidential choice. 

"We have to get rid of Trump, that's all there is to it," Oberg said. "I'll be honest. Biden was not my No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 pick, but I have to support him because we can't have four more years of Trump. Not the way this country is. Biden is the best option now. It's better than what we have now — bottom line.

"Some people say Biden's fault is that he's been in government so long, but now he's in a position where he has an understanding of all of the basics and different branches and departments of government, and he is someone who will bring everybody to the table and listen to all sides," Oberg said. "That's what I see and that's what I know about Joe Biden."

Goll said he also wishes to see a different Biden in Thursday's presidential debate. He wants to see the Democratic challenger refrain from name-calling and hurling insults, interrupting and talking over the president, and see both candidates engage in substantive debate of issues and resolving problems.. 

"I want to see Biden keep his composure and not blow up like he did the first time around," Goll said. "He needs to continue talking to the American people and continue with the respect and dignity that he has and, hopefully, that can convince the swing states that are up in the air to vote blue."

Elvis Maryshine, 23, of Erie, demonstrated with other Biden backers. She attended the counter-protest in support of human rights and LGBTQ rights. Nearby, a small group of protesters held a Black Lives Matter banner. 

"It's not like any of us are super stoked that we have to vote for Biden, but we're going to vote for Biden because that's what we have to do," Maryshine said. "I would like to make sure that he is going to protect LGBTQ rights. That is a huge issue here that is currently in jeopardy."

Maryshine supported Democrat Bernie Sanders in the 2016 election and said Biden is "a little bit more centrist than I would like."

"Our democracy as we know it is dying and it's up to us to try to change that," Maryshine said. "The power lies with the people. We have a flawed system, but our system still gives us power. The power lies with the people, and we have to seize it as much as we can. It's up to us to fight for what we believe in." 

Contact Ron Leonardi at rleonardi@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNLeonardi.