The emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has triggered a flood of admiration and support, but it has also provoked nasty bullying attacks on the internet.
Gus Walz, who suffers from Viral Moment a nonverbal learning disability, along with anxiety and ADHD, watched excitedly from the front row 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 governor of Minnesota, was sharing Cyberbullying the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, went through to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz continued by expressing his love for his loved ones from the stage, saying, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."
Gus Walz jumped up from his seat, Ann Coulter with tears running down his cheeks, pointed his finger and said, “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 Trolls On Social Media 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 kids so much that when they see me give a speech about the dreams and passion I have for my country, Support For People With Disabilities they are moved to tears like Gus Walz did,†wrote Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, on X.
“@Tim_Walz has dedicated his life to service and has clearly succeeded in being an excellent, supportive, and loving father every step of the way, †he wrote. “We should Children With Disabilities 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 does having a non-verbal learning disorder mean?
“You know you’ve done well as a parent when 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 other words better describe our next Vice President. â€
Actress Mia Farrow added: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in Public Display Of Affection tears of pride, exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection provoked a series of sarcastic and cruel comments from online trolls, primarily MAGA supporters of former president Donald Trump, who is running Alec Lace against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Conservative columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Talk about 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†Tim Walz on X and wrote, “Congratulations on raising your kid to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump supporter who runs a podcast about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent reference Viral Video to a Minnesota state law that Walz passed as governor requiring educational institutions to offer complimentary menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Jay Weber, a conservative radio host in Milwaukee, posted a message on X criticizing the Walz family, now removed.
"If the Walz(sic) Empathy represent today's American man,