The emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has sparked a wave of praise and approval, but it has at the same time led to ugly bullying attacks online.
Gus Walz, who Free Menstrual Products has a nonverbal learning disability, as well as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), watched excitedly 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 speech of acceptance at the Democratic National Convention.
The Viral Moment Minnesota governor was recounting the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, went through to conceive their daughter, Hope.
Walz followed up by expressing his love for his loved ones from the stage, stating, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."
Gus Walz ADHD jumped up from his seat, with tears streaming down his cheeks, pointed his finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The touching moment between father and son, captured live by television cameras, quickly went viral and was mostly received adoringly on the internet and in the
media.
Fox News shared a video of the viral moment on its TikTok account, writing "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 speak about the dreams and passion I hold Jay Weber 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 excelled in being an excellent, supportive, and caring father throughout his life, †he wrote. “We Kamala Harris 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, 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 Cyberbullying 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 future vice president. â€
Actress Mia Farrow also commented: “Gosh! When sweet Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face streaming with Gwen Walz tears of pride, exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' he stole my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show of affection provoked a series of sarcastic and nasty comments from internet trolls, primarily supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, who faces Parent-child Relationship Democratic presidential nominee 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 message has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump backer and content creator from New Jersey, mocked Walz’s “crybaby son†on Social Media Criticism X and added, “Congratulations on raising your kid to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who hosts a podcast about fatherhood, took his own shot at the teenager: “Get that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent reference to Nonverbal Learning Disorder a Minnesota state law that Walz passed as governor requiring educational institutions to provide complimentary menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned that Jay Weber, a conservative Milwaukee radio host, made a post on X criticizing the Walz family. now removed.
"If the Walz(sic) represent today's Tim Walz American man,
