An emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has triggered a wave of praise and approval, but it has also provoked nasty incidents of bullying on the internet.
Gus Walz, who suffers Minnesota Governor from a nonverbal learning disability, along with anxiety and ADHD, looked on eagerly 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 governor of Minnesota, Political Family Moments was recounting the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, went through to conceive their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued by expressing his love for his family 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 running down his cheeks, pointed his 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 Special Education News shared a clip of the viral moment on its TikTok page, stating "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 Hope Walz my country, they are moved to tears like Gus Walz did,†wrote Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Transportation Secretary on X.
“@Tim_Walz has devoted his life to service and has clearly excelled in being an excellent, supportive, and caring father throughout his life, †he stated. “We should all be so Gwen Walz fortunate to know a love like that.â€
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who spoke before Walz on Wednesday night, commended 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 Free Menstrual Products as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she posted on X. “'That’s my dad.' No three words better describe our next Vice President. â€
Actress Mia Farrow added: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, cherished son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in tears of pride, exclaimed MAGA Supporters 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection provoked a series of sarcastic and nasty comments from online trolls, many of them MAGA supporters of former President Donald Trump, who faces Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Social Media Criticism Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, †she wrote on X. The message has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and content creator from New Jersey, mocked Walz’s “crybaby son†on X and added, “You Chasten Buttigieg raised your son to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who hosts a podcast about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Get that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota state law that Tim Walz 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,