Ann Coulter Shrugs Off Insult to Tim Walz’s Son with Misspelled Non-Apology
Ann Coulter, a veteran conservative commentator, sought to justify her decision to delete a tweet in which she called Gus Walz, the son of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, “weird.” She did not, however, offer an apology for the brazen comments, causing an uproar on both ends of the political spectrum.
The Backstory
Gus Walz, a 17-year-old high school student, found himself in the limelight this week after a touching moment during his father’s acceptance speech following his vice presidential nomination by the Democrats. Gus, who is diagnosed with a nonverbal learning disorder, ADHD, and an anxiety disorder, openly wept out of pride while declaring “that’s my dad” during the emotional address.
The tearful and heartfelt moment was seized upon by some individuals who felt it was appropriate to ridicule the young man for his emotional display. Standing out among the naysayers was Ann Coulter, who chose to brand the moment as “weird” on the social media platform, Twitter.
Coulter’s Response
Ann Coulter later removed the tweet, stating that she made the decision to do so once she learned about Gus’s neurodiversity. An apology was starkly missing from her comments. Instead, Coulter noted that she was on vacation and was reacting to the Democrats’ proclivity for labeling individuals as ‘weird’.
Steadfast Reactions
Others in the political and media spaces also ignited controversy with their insensitive remarks about Gus. Dinesh D’Souza, another known conservative commentator, compared Gus’s emotional expression to the behavior of Governor Tim Walz, implying both were unbecoming. Jay Weber, a conservative radio host, labeled the father-son moment as “embarrassing.”
Conservative Commendations
Despite the negative comments, many leading conservatives rallied against these crass comments, defending the young Gus Walz. The Daily Wire’s founding editor, Ben Shapiro, described the moment as “really sweet,” while Matt Walsh, another commentator from the same platform, reprimanded conservatives for mocking a son’s love for his father.
Navarro Speaks Out
Ana Navarro, a CNN contributor and centrist Republican commentator, added her voice to the condemnation of the attacks on Gus. Navarro recounted her meeting with Gus’s mother, Gwen Walz, expressing her grief over the unjust public harassment of her son. Navarro criticized those who had chosen to leverage the teen’s moment of joy and pride for their political grandstanding.
