Conservative political pundit Ann Coulter posted then deleted a social media post referring to the neurodivergent teenage son of Democratic Party vice presidential candidate Tim Walz as “weird.”
Gus Walz crying and proudly exclaiming “That’s my dad!” at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night was celebrated by many TV viewers as an endearing emotional display from a 17-year-old boy who has ADHD, an anxiety disorder and a nonverbal learning disorder.
But others, including Coulter, saw an opportunity for ridicule.
Just found out you deleted this tweet. We’re still going to call your ass out! He’s 17. This is a beautiful family who loves each other. Leave this kid alone, weirdo! @AnnCoulter pic.twitter.com/xZz9EpNaBb
— Mike ‘Fight The Power’ Man ’93 (@Fairshare2012) August 22, 2024
“Talk about weird…” she wrote, along with a clip of the high school student’s excited reaction.
Coulter removed the post after being bombarded with criticism online, including fellow pundit and former Barack Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor.
“I can see why a child loving their parents would feel foreign to you,” he posted to the famously callous 62-year-old provocateur.
It’s not clear if Coulter was aware of Gus’ challenges before she wrote her tweet.
Tim Walz made “weird” the buzzword of the 2024 presidential campaign by effectively using it to describe Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.
The 60-year-old Minnesota governor used his Wednesday night speech in part to thank his family for their support.
“You are my entire world and I love you,” Walz said to his son, daughter and wife.
That was the line that sent the candidate’s son to his feet applauding and crying.
While there was no shortage of nastiness over Gus Walz’s emotional moment, there was also a lot of support.
“The people attacking or making fun of 17-year-old Gus Walz just don’t understand what JOY and LOVE are all about,” liberal X poster Brian Krassenstein wrote to his 859,000 followers. “They wish they had someone who cared as much about them as Gus does his dad.”
Countless social media users, including “Star Wars” star Mark Hamill, posted that they too cried when they saw Tim Walz’s family becoming emotional.
Another right-wing pundit, Wisconsin radio host Jay Weber, called Gus Walz a “blabbering b—h boy” in a social media post he apologized for and took down after learning “the kid was disabled.”
