The emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has triggered a flood of praise and approval, but it has at the same time led to ugly bullying attacks on the internet.
Gus Walz, Viral Moment who has a nonverbal learning disability, as well as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), looked on eagerly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and sobbed openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, delivered his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The Chasten Buttigieg Minnesota governor was recounting the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, went through to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz followed up by declaring 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 Cyberbullying from his seat, with tears running down his cheeks, pointed his finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The touching exchange between father and son, captured live by TV cameras, quickly went viral and has largely been received positively on the web and across media outlets.
Fox
News posted a video of the viral 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 hold for my Acceptance Speech country, 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 excelled in being an outstanding, supportive, and caring father throughout his life, †he wrote. “We should all be ADHD 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, praised the bond between Walz and his children.
More: Who is Gus Walz and what does having a non-verbal learning disorder mean?
“You know you’ve succeeded as a parent when your kids are as Self-advocacy 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 added: “Gosh! When sweet Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face streaming with tears of pride, Anxiety exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' he stole my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show of affection triggered a wave of sarcastic and nasty comments from internet trolls, many of them MAGA supporters of former president Donald Trump, who is running against Special Education Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Conservative columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter mocked 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 son†on X and Vice Presidential Nominee added, “Congratulations on raising your kid to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who hosts a show about fatherhood, took his own shot at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota state Alec Lace law that Walz passed as governor requiring educational institutions to offer complimentary menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Jay Weber, a conservative radio host in Milwaukee, made a post on X criticizing the Walz family. now removed.
"If the Walzs represent today's American man,