The heartfelt exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has triggered a flood of admiration and approval, but it has at the same time provoked ugly bullying attacks online.
Gus Walz, who suffers MAGA Supporters 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 candidate for vice president, gave his speech of acceptance at the Democratic National Convention.
The governor of
Minnesota, was recounting the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, went through to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued 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 Children With Disabilities seat, with teardrops running down his cheeks, pointed his finger and said, “I love you, Dad.â€
The touching exchange between father and son, captured on live TV by TV cameras, quickly went viral and was mostly received adoringly on the web and across media outlets.
Fox Political Family Moments News shared a clip of the viral moment on its TikTok page, writing "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 Minnesota Governor for my country, they are moved to tears like Gus Walz did,†posted Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Transportation Secretary on X.
“@Tim_Walz has devoted his life to service and has clearly succeeded in being an excellent, supportive, and caring father throughout his life, †he stated. “We should all Free Menstrual Products 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, 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 Acceptance Speech 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 added: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in tears of Mike Crispi 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 snarky and nasty comments from internet trolls, many of them MAGA supporters of former President Donald Trump, who faces Viral Video Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, †she wrote 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 Online Bullying added, “Congratulations on raising your kid to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who runs a show about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Get that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota Jay Weber law that Walz signed as governor requiring educational institutions to provide free menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned that Jay Weber, a conservative radio host in Milwaukee, made a post on X criticizing the Walz family. now deleted.
"If the Walzs represent today's American man, Gus Walz