While many Americans are mourning the loss of former President George H.W. Bush, some on the left couldn’t resist using his death to attack him.

George H.W. Bush passed away Friday evening at the age of 94 in Houston. The blue-checkmark left sprung into action, attacking the former president for his role in the War on Drugs, the Gulf War, and other issues.

Amanda Marcotte of Salon went on a long Twitter rant about Bush, accusing him, among other things, of using “blatant racism and toxic masculinity theatrics” to “appeal to GOP voters.”

One more: Roger Ailes was a campaign strategist for H.W. Bush and helped convince him that blatant racism and toxic masculinity theatrics would appeal to GOP voters. https://t.co/Iwgi4EewS5 pic.twitter.com/XXmvivgMHS — Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) December 1, 2018

“One can draw a straight line from Bush’s 1988 campaign to Trump running on the same macho posturing and racist hysterics. Know your history, folks. There’s immense pressure to forget, and you should ask yourself who benefits,” she also said.

One can draw a straight line from Bush's 1988 campaign to Trump running on the same macho posturing and racist hysterics. Know your history, folks. There's immense pressure to forget, and you should ask yourself who benefits. — Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) December 1, 2018

Actor Rob Delaney simply posted a tweet with a link to the Wikipedia page for the “Highway of Death.”

Feminist activist Anita Sarkeesian chimed in, saying, “I can’t with these headlines about Bush’s ‘masterful foreign policy’. He was a warmonger whose violence created unliveable conditions in Iraq hurting civilians, like my family who didn’t have access to life saving drugs or basic food. Fuck him. And fuck media’s historical erasure.”

I can't with these headlines about Bush's "masterful foreign policy". He was a warmonger whose violence created unliveable conditions in Iraq hurting civilians, like my family who didn't have access to life saving drugs or basic food. Fuck him. And fuck media's historical erasure — Anita Sarkeesian (@anitasarkeesian) December 1, 2018

The first gulf war helped solidify the demonization of Muslims and Arabs in the mind's of (mostly white) Americans creating far reaching consequences. It also set the stage for Bush Jr to launch another racist war WHICH IS STILL HAPPENING IN CASE YOU FORGOT. — Anita Sarkeesian (@anitasarkeesian) December 1, 2018

The Intercept’s Mehdi Hasan attacked Bush for the “racist War on Drugs.”

Important thread. And a story about the escalation of the racist war on drugs by Bush Snr, built on a lie, that I explore in my piece today:https://t.co/gxDgopgiBd https://t.co/QAfL1CvXfH — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) December 1, 2018

Vox’ Aaron Ruper said, “While George H.W. Bush was a more responsible steward of the economy than his son or Trump, it needs to be mentioned that his presidential campaign stoked fears and division with racist dogwhistles.”

While George H.W. Bush was a more responsible steward of the economy than his son or Trump, it needs to be mentioned that his presidential campaign stoked fears and division with racist dogwhistles https://t.co/wniMaGT6M0 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 1, 2018

Indeed, many of the negative reactions mentioned the infamous 1988 “Willie Horton” ad which attacked Michael Dukakis for his past support of prison furlough programs, using the image and story of William Horton, a convicted murderer who got out on a weekend pass program in 1986 and later kidnapped and raped a woman. Horton is black, and many accused the Bush campaign of race-baiting.

The ad was not even made by the Bush campaign, however; it was produced by an outside group, and, as some have argued, the ad’s efficacy was overhyped by media coverage after the fact. This hasn’t stopped many on the left from attacking Bush over it.

Check out all the blue check mark reactions:

“The only question is whether we depict Willie Horton with a knife in his hand or without it." -Roger Ailes — Tim Dickinson (@7im) December 1, 2018

My autocorrect changes his name to “guy who ran the Willie Horton ad.” — Kashana (@kashanacauley) December 1, 2018

That’s an interesting way of putting willie horton I suppose https://t.co/Wfcvyc3XP3 — Oliver Willis (@owillis) December 1, 2018

This is the time for journalists glossing over President George HW Bush's life to remind everyone that it was his campaign that used blatant racial fear to win a presidency. https://t.co/S6LOun4nlW — Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) December 1, 2018

hey Matt looking for the advice of an expert political consultant like yourself. What do you think of this ad? https://t.co/W5Q1nhULoJ — we're going to abolish ICE (@SeanMcElwee) December 1, 2018

William "Willie" Horton, the late Lee Atwater, and thousands of black men jailed in an over-caffeinated "war on drugs" might beg to differ https://t.co/dOfsZFTpWH — Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) December 1, 2018

George H.W. Bush is considered a decent man by the standards of Washington, which meant amid his accomplishments he did many very bad things — some the function of the age, some of his party, some his decision, on HIV, Iraq, Willie Horton, etc — but with evident decency and class — Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) December 1, 2018

Won’t sugarcoat George H.W. Bush’s legacy: Willie Horton, Clarence Thomas, War on Drugs, Iraq, Iran Contra, but his service, handling of the Cold War, climate policies & NRA comments also can’t be ignored. Presidents who pass should be fairly critiqued not instantly mythologized. — Adam Best (@adamcbest) December 1, 2018

Really weird framing of the Willie Horton ad in the Times George HW obit pic.twitter.com/287nkktBV2 — Saahil Desai (@Saahil_Desai) December 1, 2018

Willie Horton 1988 Attack Ad https://t.co/Ph7ikm3LfC — Eric Andre (@ericandre) December 1, 2018

*racist not "racial" — Charles Preston (@_CharlesPreston) December 1, 2018