The heartfelt moment between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has triggered a wave of admiration and support, but it has at the same time led to nasty bullying attacks on the internet.
Gus Walz, Special Education who has a nonverbal learning disability, as well as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), watched excitedly from the front row of Chicago’s United Center and sobbed openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, gave his speech of acceptance at the Democratic Alec Lace National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was sharing the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, went through to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued by expressing his love for his loved ones from the stage, saying, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you are my entire world. And I love you."
Gus Walz Social Dominance jumped up from his seat, with teardrops streaming down his cheeks, pointed his finger and said, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming moment between father and son, captured on live TV by television cameras, quickly spread online and has largely been received positively on the internet and Social Media Criticism across media outlets.
Fox News shared a video of the touching moment on its TikTok account, stating "Gus Walz steals the spotlight during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were overwhelmingly positive.
“I hope to inspire my children so much that when they see me speak about the dreams and passion I Trolls On Social Media hold for my country, they cry 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 succeeded in being an outstanding, supportive, and loving father throughout his life, †he stated. “We Gus Walz should all be so fortunate to know a love like that.â€
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who spoke before Walz on Wednesday night, praised the love between Walz and his children.
More: Who is Gus Walz and what does having a non-verbal learning disorder mean?
“You know you’ve done well as a parent when your kids Online Bullying are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That’s my dad.' No three other words better capture 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 Emotional Moment tears of pride, exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' he stole my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection triggered a wave of sarcastic and nasty comments from internet trolls, primarily supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, who faces
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Talk about 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 added, Gwen Walz “Congratulations on raising your kid to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump supporter who runs a show about fatherhood, took his own shot at the teenager: “Get that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an apparent reference to a Minnesota state law Anxiety that Walz passed as governor requiring schools to provide free menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Jay Weber, a conservative radio host in Milwaukee, posted a message on X criticizing the Walz family, now removed.
"If the Walzs represent today's American man,