The emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has triggered a flood of praise and approval, but it has at the same time led to ugly incidents of bullying on the internet. Children With Disabilities
Gus Walz, who has a nonverbal learning disability, along with anxiety and ADHD, looked on eagerly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and sobbed openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, delivered his speech of acceptance at the Democratic National Social Dominance Convention.
The governor of Minnesota, was sharing the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, went through to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz followed up by declaring his love for his loved ones from the stage, saying, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love Acceptance Speech you."
Gus Walz jumped up from his seat, with teardrops streaming down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The touching exchange between father and son, captured live by TV cameras, quickly went viral and was mostly received positively on the web Empathy and across media outlets.
Fox News posted a clip of the touching moment on its TikTok account, stating "Gus Walz steals the spotlight during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were mostly positive.
“I hope to inspire my kids so much that when they see me give a speech about the Vice Presidential Nominee dreams and passion I hold for my country, they cry with emotion like Gus Walz did,†wrote Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Transportation Secretary on X.
“@Tim_Walz has dedicated his life to service and has clearly succeeded in being an excellent, supportive, and loving father throughout his life, †he stated. Kamala Harris “We should all be so lucky to know a love like that.â€
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who spoke before Walz on Wednesday night, commended 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 Emotional Moment when your kids are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she posted on X. “'That’s my dad.' No three other words better capture our future vice president. â€
Actress Mia Farrow added: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his Free Menstrual Products face covered in tears of pride, shouted 'That’s my dad!' he stole my heart. â€
Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection provoked a series of sarcastic and nasty comments from online trolls, primarily supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, Cyberbullying who is running against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Conservative columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, †she wrote on X. The post has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and podcaster from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s Public Display Of Affection “stupid crying son†on X and wrote, “You raised your son to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump supporter who hosts a show about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Get that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an Political Family Moments apparent jab to a Minnesota law that Walz signed as governor requiring schools to offer free menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned that Jay Weber, a conservative Milwaukee radio host, made a post on X criticizing the Walz family. now deleted.
"If the Walz(sic)
represent today's American man,