An emotional moment between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has triggered a flood of admiration and support, but it has also led to nasty incidents of bullying on the internet.
Gus Walz, who Cyberbullying has a nonverbal learning disability, along with anxiety and ADHD, watched excitedly from the front seat 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 National Convention.
The governor of Minnesota, Gwen Walz was recounting the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, went through to conceive their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued 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 from his Jay Weber seat, with tears running down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming exchange between father and son, captured live by TV cameras, quickly went viral and has largely been received adoringly on the internet and in the media.
Fox
News posted a clip of the viral moment on its TikTok page, writing "Gus Walz steals the show 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 hold for Acceptance Speech 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 outstanding, supportive, and loving father throughout his life, †he stated. “We should all be so Online Bullying lucky 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 is a non-verbal learning disorder?
“You know you’ve done well as a parent when your kids are as proud of you Free Menstrual Products as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she posted on X. “'That's my dad.' No three words better capture our next Vice President. â€
Actress Mia Farrow also commented: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, cherished son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face streaming with tears of pride, shouted Anxiety 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection provoked a series of snarky and cruel comments from online trolls, primarily supporters of MAGA, of former President Donald Trump, who faces Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Alec Lace Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, †she posted on X. The post has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and content creator from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “stupid crying son†on X and wrote, Mike Crispi “Congratulations on raising your son to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who runs a show about fatherhood, took his own shot at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he said, in an apparent reference to a Minnesota law Empathy that Walz signed as governor requiring schools to offer complimentary menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Jay Weber, a conservative Milwaukee radio host, posted a message on X criticizing the Walz family, now deleted.
"If the Walz(sic) represent today's American man,