An heartfelt moment between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has triggered a wave of admiration and approval, but it has also provoked nasty bullying attacks online.
Gus Walz, who has a nonverbal learning Special Education disorder, as well as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), watched excitedly from the front row of Chicago’s United Center and cried openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, delivered his speech of acceptance at the Democratic National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was sharing MAGA Supporters the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, underwent to conceive their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued by declaring his love for his loved ones from the stage, stating, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."
Gus Walz jumped up from his seat, with tears Self-advocacy streaming down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming exchange between father and son, captured on live TV by television cameras, quickly went viral and has largely been received positively on the web and in the media.
Fox News posted a Political Family Moments clip of the touching moment on its TikTok page, writing "Gus Walz steals the spotlight during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were mostly positive.
“I hope to inspire my children so much that when they see me give a speech about the dreams and passion I hold for my country, they Online Bullying cry with emotion 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 excellent, supportive, and caring father throughout his life, †he stated. “We should all be so fortunate Acceptance Speech 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 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 covered in tears of pride, exclaimed Social Media Criticism 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show of affection triggered a wave of sarcastic and cruel comments from online trolls, many of them supporters of MAGA, of former President Donald Trump, who is running against Democratic presidential Emotional Moment nominee Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, †she posted on X. The post has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and content creator from New Jersey, mocked Walz’s “stupid crying son†on X and Democratic National Convention added, “Congratulations on raising your kid to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who runs a podcast about fatherhood, took his own shot at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota law Gwen Walz that Walz passed as governor requiring educational institutions to provide complimentary menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Jay Weber, a conservative radio host in Milwaukee, posted a message on X criticizing the Walz family, now deleted.
"If the Walzs represent today's American man,