An emotional moment between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has triggered a wave of praise and approval, but it has also led to nasty bullying attacks on the internet.
Gus Walz, who has Public Display Of Affection a nonverbal learning disorder, along with anxiety and ADHD, looked on eagerly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and cried openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, delivered his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was Self-advocacy sharing the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, went through to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued by declaring his love for his loved ones from the stage, saying, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."
Gus Walz rose from his seat, Free Menstrual Products with tears running down his cheeks, pointed his finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming moment between father and son, captured live by television cameras, quickly spread online and was mostly received positively on the internet and across media outlets.
Fox News posted a Online Bullying clip of the touching moment on its TikTok account, writing "Gus Walz steals the show during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were mostly positive.
“I hope to inspire my children so much that when they see me speak about the dreams and passion I hold for my country, they cry MAGA Supporters with emotion like Gus Walz did,†wrote 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 excellent, supportive, and loving father throughout his life, †he wrote. “We should all be so fortunate Cyberbullying 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 is a non-verbal learning disorder?
“You know you’ve done well as a parent when your kids are as proud of you Hope Walz 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 also commented: “Gosh! When sweet Gus Walz, cherished son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face streaming with tears of pride, Nonverbal Learning Disorder shouted 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show of affection provoked a series of sarcastic and cruel comments from internet trolls, many of them supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, who faces Democratic Parent-child Relationship presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Now that's 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 “stupid crying son†on X Social Media Criticism and wrote, “You raised your kid to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who hosts a show about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota Vice Presidential Nominee law that Walz signed as governor requiring schools to offer free 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 removed.
"If the Walz(sic) represent today's American man,