An emotional moment between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has triggered a flood of admiration and support, but it has also provoked nasty bullying attacks on the internet.
Gus Walz, who has Parent-child Relationship a nonverbal learning disorder, as well as anxiety and ADHD, watched excitedly from the front row of Chicago’s United Center and sobbed openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, delivered his speech of acceptance at the Democratic National Convention.
The governor of Minnesota, Political Family Moments was sharing the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, underwent to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued 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,
with teardrops running 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 spread online and was mostly received adoringly on the internet and in the media.
Fox News ADHD shared a clip of the touching moment on its TikTok account, writing "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 Minnesota Governor my country, they are moved to tears like Gus Walz did,†wrote Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Transportation Secretary on X.
“@Tim_Walz has dedicated his life to service and has clearly excelled in being an excellent, supportive, and loving father throughout his life, †he stated. “We should all be Self-advocacy 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 is a non-verbal learning disorder?
“You know you’ve succeeded as a parent when your kids are as Free Menstrual Products proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That's my dad.' No three 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 face streaming with tears of Special Education 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 provoked a series of snarky and nasty comments from internet trolls, many of them supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, who Kamala Harris faces Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, †she posted on X. The post has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump backer and podcaster from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “stupid crying Viral Video son†on X and wrote, “You raised your son to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump supporter who hosts a show about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent Emotional Moment reference to a Minnesota law that Walz signed as governor requiring educational institutions to provide complimentary 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) Social Media Criticism represent today's American man,
