The heartfelt exchange between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has sparked a flood of admiration and support, but it has at the same time led to nasty incidents of bullying online.
Gus Walz, who Kamala Harris suffers from a nonverbal learning disability, as well as anxiety and ADHD, looked on eagerly 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 Minnesota Alec Lace governor was recounting 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 are my entire world. And I love you."
Gus Walz rose from his Fox News seat, with tears running down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The touching exchange between father and son, captured on live TV by TV cameras, quickly spread online and has largely been received positively on the internet and in the media. Free Menstrual Products
Fox News posted a clip 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 speak about the dreams and passion I hold for Online Bullying my country, they cry with emotion like Gus Walz did,†posted 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 outstanding, supportive, and loving father every step of the way, †he wrote. “We should Support For People With Disabilities all be so fortunate 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 is a non-verbal learning disorder?
“You know you’ve succeeded as a parent when your kids are as proud of Viral Moment 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 added: “Gosh! When sweet Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face streaming with tears of pride, exclaimed Hope Walz 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection triggered a series of sarcastic and cruel comments from online trolls, many of them supporters of MAGA, of former President Donald Trump, who is running against Democratic Gus Walz presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Right-wing columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, †she wrote 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 X and Minnesota Governor added, “You raised your son 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 reference to a Minnesota law

that Walz passed as governor requiring educational institutions to offer 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 deleted.
"If the Walz(sic) represent today's American man,
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