Self-advocacy | mybabe22 | MAGA Supporters

The emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has triggered a flood of admiration and support, but it has at the same time led to ugly bullying attacks online.

Gus Walz, who

suffers from a nonverbal learning disorder, along with anxiety and ADHD, looked on eagerly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and cried openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, delivered his speech of acceptance at the Democratic National Convention.

The Minnesota Hope Walz governor was recounting the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, underwent to have their daughter, Hope.

Walz followed up by declaring 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 Social Dominance from his seat, with tears streaming down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.”

The touching moment between father and son, captured live by television cameras, quickly went viral and has largely been received positively on the web and across media Political Family Moments outlets.

Fox News posted a clip of the touching moment on its TikTok account, 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 hold Alec Lace for my country, they cry with emotion 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 excellent, supportive, and caring father every step of the way, ” he stated. “We should Mike Crispi all be so fortunate to know a love like that.”

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who spoke before Walz on Wednesday night, commended the bond 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 kids are Special Education as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,” she posted on X. “'That's my dad.' No three words better capture our future vice president. ”

Actress Mia Farrow also commented: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in tears Acceptance Speech of pride, exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' he stole my heart. ”

Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection triggered a wave of snarky and nasty comments from online trolls, primarily supporters of MAGA, of former President Donald Trump, who faces Children With Disabilities Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Walz in November.

Conservative columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter mocked the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, ” she wrote on X. The post has since been deleted.

Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and podcaster from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “crybaby son” on X Parent-child Relationship and added, “You raised your son to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.”

Alec Lace, a Trump supporter who hosts a show about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,” he said, in an apparent jab to a Minnesota Kamala Harris 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, posted a message on X criticizing the Walz family, now removed.

"If the Walzs represent today's American man,