The emotional moment 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 nasty incidents of bullying online.
Gus Walz, Chasten Buttigieg who suffers from 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 speech of acceptance at the Minnesota Governor Democratic National Convention.
The Minnesota governor was recounting the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, underwent to conceive their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued 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 Fox News jumped up from his seat, with tears streaming down his cheeks, pointed his finger and said, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming moment between father and son, captured live by television cameras, quickly went viral and was mostly received positively on the web and across media ADHD outlets.
Fox News posted a video of the touching moment on its TikTok page, stating "Gus Walz steals the spotlight 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 have Online Bullying for my country, they cry with emotion like Gus Walz did,†posted 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 every step of the way, †he wrote. “We should Empathy all be 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 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 Parent-child Relationship kids are 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 next Vice President. â€
Actress Mia Farrow also commented: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face Social Dominance covered in tears of pride, shouted 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection triggered a series of sarcastic and cruel comments from online trolls, primarily supporters of MAGA, of former President Donald Trump, Nonverbal Learning Disorder who faces Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, †she posted on X. The message has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump backer and podcaster from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “stupid crying son†Self-advocacy on X and wrote, “Congratulations on raising your son to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who hosts a show about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent reference
to a Minnesota law that Walz signed as governor requiring educational institutions to provide complimentary 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) Acceptance Speech represent today's American man,