The emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has triggered a flood of praise and support, but it has also provoked nasty incidents of bullying online.
Gus Walz, who suffers from Online Bullying 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 candidate for vice president, delivered his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was sharing Gwen Walz 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, stating, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."
Gus Walz jumped up from his seat, Viral Moment with teardrops running down his cheeks, pointed his finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming exchange between father and son, captured live by television cameras, quickly spread online and was mostly received positively on the web and across media outlets.
Fox News shared a Free Menstrual Products video of the touching moment on its TikTok account, stating "Gus Walz steals the show during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were overwhelmingly positive.
“I hope to inspire my kids so much that when they see me give a speech about the dreams and passion I have for my country, Emotional Moment 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 succeeded in being an excellent, supportive, and loving father throughout his life, †he wrote. “We should all be so fortunate Kamala Harris 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 does having a non-verbal learning disorder mean?
“You know you’ve succeeded as a parent when your kids are as proud of you Public Display Of Affection as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That’s my dad.' No three words better capture our next Vice President. â€
Actress Mia Farrow added: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, cherished son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in tears of pride, shouted 'That’s
my dad!' he stole my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection provoked a wave of snarky and cruel comments from online trolls, primarily MAGA supporters of former president Donald Trump, who is running against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris Self-advocacy and Walz in November.
Conservative columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, †she wrote on X. The message has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and podcaster from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “crybaby son†on X and added, “Congratulations on Anxiety raising your kid 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: “Get that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota law that Walz Democratic National Convention passed as governor requiring schools 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 deleted.
"If the Walz(sic) represent today's American man,