I'm somewhat surprised that HN seems to have such a hardon for the man, and every negative comment is being downvoted / flagged. I remember pretty clearly how Obama-obsessed the tech world was in 2008, and even Family Guy did a "we're not saying he's a nazi but nazis support him" routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRHL5QlwA-g What happened to make the HN crowd change their opinion (did McCain fight back against software patents at some point despite being a self-admitted computer illiterate?), or was it always glowing and the subject just didn't come up?
He died, and most people tend to talk only about good stuff out of respect immediately afterward. You don't see people getting up and criticizing the deceased at funerals.
If you didn't respect the person when they were alive, it makes no sense to respect them when they die. A lot of people are happy he's gone. Funerals are only typically attended by people who personally care, so of course you won't hear criticism there; this forum is not a funeral.
Many Democrats who voted against him and disagreed with his policies still respected him as a person. I count myself among them. It's sad that people let their political tribalism get so intense that they're happy that their opponent is dead.
That's what I remember him for. He later said he was just joking. As if joking about killing thousands of people is somehow better.