The emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has sparked a flood of praise and approval, but it has at the same time led to ugly bullying attacks online.
Gus Walz, who suffers Children With Disabilities from a nonverbal learning disorder, along with anxiety and ADHD, watched excitedly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and sobbed openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, gave his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was sharing Viral Moment the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, went through to conceive their daughter, Hope.
Walz followed up by declaring his love for his family from the stage, stating, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."
Gus Walz rose from his seat, with teardrops Parent-child Relationship running down his cheeks, pointed his finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming exchange between father and son, captured live by TV cameras, quickly went viral and has largely been received positively on the web and across media outlets.
Fox News posted a clip Cyberbullying of the viral moment on its TikTok account, writing "Gus Walz steals the spotlight during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were overwhelmingly positive.
“I hope to inspire my children so much that when they see me speak about the dreams and passion I have for my country, they are moved to tears Political Family Moments like Gus Walz did,†posted Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, on X.
“@Tim_Walz has devoted his life to service and has clearly excelled in being an outstanding, supportive, and caring father every step of the way, †he wrote. “We should all be so fortunate to
know a love like that.â€
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who addressed the audience before Walz on Wednesday night, praised the love between Walz and his children.
More: Who is Gus Walz and what is a non-verbal learning disorder?
“You know you’ve done well as a parent when your kids are as proud of you as Trolls On Social Media Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That's my dad.' No three words better capture our next Vice President. â€
Actress Mia Farrow added: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in tears of pride, exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' Fox News he stole my heart. â€
Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show 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 is running against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris Nonverbal Learning Disorder and Walz in November.
Conservative columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, †she posted on X. The post has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and content creator from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “stupid crying son†on X and added, “Congratulations Hope Walz on raising your son to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump supporter who hosts a show about fatherhood, took his own shot at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota law that Walz Special Education passed as governor requiring schools to provide free 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,