An 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 bullying attacks online.
Gus Walz, who suffers Free Menstrual Products from a nonverbal learning disability, along with anxiety and ADHD, watched excitedly from the front row of Chicago’s United Center and cried 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 recounting
the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, went through to conceive their daughter, Hope.
Walz followed up 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 rose from his seat, with Political Family Moments teardrops running down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and said, “I love you, Dad.â€
The touching moment between father and son, captured on live TV by television cameras, quickly went viral and has largely been received adoringly on the web and across media outlets.
Fox News shared Tim Walz a clip of the touching moment on its TikTok page, stating "Gus Walz steals the show 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 dreams and passion I hold for my Social Media Criticism 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 devoted his life to service and has clearly succeeded in being an excellent, supportive, and caring father every step of the way, †he wrote. “We should Chasten Buttigieg all be so lucky to know a love like that.â€
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who addressed the audience 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 succeeded as a parent when your kids Mike Crispi are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That's my dad.' No three words better describe our next Vice President. â€
Actress Mia Farrow also commented: “Gosh! When sweet Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in tears Hope Walz of pride, exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show of affection triggered a series of sarcastic and nasty comments from internet trolls, primarily supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, who is running against Democratic National Convention Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, †she posted on X. The message has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump backer and podcaster from New Jersey, mocked Walz’s “crybaby son†on X and Jay Weber added, “Congratulations on raising your son to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who hosts a podcast about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent reference to a Minnesota state Online Bullying law that Walz signed as governor requiring educational institutions to provide complimentary 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 removed.
"If the Walzs represent today's American man,