An heartfelt exchange between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has sparked a wave of praise and support, but it has at the same time led to nasty bullying attacks on the internet.
Gus Walz, Cyberbullying who suffers from a nonverbal learning disorder, as well as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), watched excitedly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and cried openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, gave his acceptance speech at the Democratic Fox News National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was sharing the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, underwent to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz followed up by declaring his love for his loved ones from the stage, stating, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you are my entire world. And I love you."
Gus Walz Children With Disabilities jumped up from his seat, with tears running down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and said, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming moment between father and son, captured on live TV by TV cameras, quickly spread online and was mostly received positively on the internet and Free Menstrual Products in the media.
Fox News posted a video of the touching moment on its TikTok page, stating "Gus Walz steals the show during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were mostly positive.
“I hope to inspire my kids so much that when they see me give a speech about the dreams and
passion I hold for my country, they cry with emotion like Gus Walz did,†posted 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 every step of the way, †Hope Walz he stated. “We should all be so lucky 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 is a non-verbal learning disorder?
“You know you’ve done well as a parent when MAGA Supporters your kids are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That's my dad.' No three words better describe our future vice president. â€
Actress Mia Farrow added: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, cherished son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in Mike Crispi tears of pride, shouted '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 series of sarcastic and nasty comments from online trolls, many of them MAGA supporters of former President Donald Trump, who is Minnesota Governor running against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, †she wrote on X. The post has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and podcaster from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “crybaby son†on Support For People With Disabilities X and added, “Congratulations on raising your son 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 wrote, in an apparent jab to a Alec Lace Minnesota law that Walz passed as governor requiring educational institutions to provide free menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned that Jay Weber, a conservative radio host in Milwaukee, posted a message on X criticizing the Walz family. now removed.
"If the Walz(sic) represent today's American man, Social Media Criticism