An heartfelt exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has triggered a flood of admiration and approval, but it has also provoked nasty incidents of bullying on the internet.
Gus Walz, who has ADHD a nonverbal learning disability, as well as anxiety and ADHD, looked on eagerly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and cried openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, delivered his speech of acceptance at the Democratic National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was Political Family Moments recounting the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, went through to conceive their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued by declaring his love for his loved ones from the stage, saying, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."
Gus Walz jumped up from his seat, Social Media Criticism with teardrops streaming down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and said, “I love you, Dad.â€
The touching exchange between father and son, captured on live TV by television cameras, quickly spread online and was mostly received adoringly on the internet and across media outlets.
Fox News shared Acceptance Speech a clip of the viral moment on its TikTok page, writing "Gus Walz steals the show during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were overwhelmingly positive.
“I hope to inspire my kids so much that when they see me give a speech about the dreams and passion I hold for my Public Display Of Affection country, they are moved to tears like Gus Walz did,†posted Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, on X.
“@Tim_Walz has dedicated his life to service and has clearly succeeded in being an outstanding, supportive, and caring father throughout his life, †he stated. “We should all be Hope Walz so lucky to know a love like that.â€
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who spoke before Walz on Wednesday night, praised the bond between Walz and his children.
More: Who is Gus Walz and what does having a non-verbal learning disorder mean?
“You know you’ve done well as a parent when your kids are as proud Chasten Buttigieg of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That's my dad.' No three other words better capture our next Vice President. â€
Actress Mia Farrow also commented: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, cherished son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face streaming with tears of pride,
exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection triggered a wave of snarky and cruel comments from internet trolls, many of them supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, who faces Democratic Nonverbal Learning Disorder presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Conservative columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, †she posted on X. The post has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump backer and podcaster from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “crybaby son†on X and added, Online Bullying “Congratulations on raising your kid to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who runs a show about fatherhood, took his own shot at the teenager: “Get that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an apparent reference to a Minnesota law Minnesota Governor that Walz passed as governor requiring schools to offer complimentary menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Jay Weber, a conservative Milwaukee radio host, made a post on X criticizing the Walz family. now deleted.
"If the Walzs represent today's American man,