An emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has sparked a wave of admiration and support, but it has also led to ugly incidents of bullying on the internet.
Gus Walz, who Emotional Moment suffers from a nonverbal learning disability, as well as 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 vice-presidential nominee, delivered his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was
recounting the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, went through to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz followed up by expressing his love for his family from the stage, saying, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you are my entire world. And I love you."
Gus Walz jumped up from his seat, Chasten Buttigieg with teardrops running down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and said, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming exchange between father and son, captured live by television cameras, quickly went viral and was mostly received positively on the web and across media outlets.
Fox News shared Fox News a video of the viral 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 children so much that when they see me speak about the dreams and passion I have for my country, Viral Moment they are moved to tears like Gus Walz did,†wrote Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, on X.
“@Tim_Walz has dedicated his life to service and has clearly succeeded in being an outstanding, supportive, and loving father throughout his life, †he wrote. “We should all be Democratic National Convention so 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 succeeded as a parent when your kids are as proud of you Political Family Moments as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That’s my dad.' No three other 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 of pride, Acceptance Speech shouted 'That’s my dad!' he stole my heart. â€
Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show of affection triggered a series of sarcastic and nasty comments from online trolls, many of them supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, who faces Democratic Minnesota Governor presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Conservative columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, †she posted on X. The post has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump backer and podcaster from New Jersey, mocked Walz’s “crybaby son†on X and added, Children With Disabilities “Congratulations on raising your kid to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump supporter who hosts a podcast about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota state Cyberbullying law that Walz signed as governor requiring educational institutions to provide 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 deleted.
"If the Walzs represent today's American man,