Why do downvoted and clearly negative comments like this nonetheless end up at the top of responses to the parent comment? Is it because it fomented a lot of responses?

On another article today, again the top response to the top comment was so negative that dang stepped in, and yet again, it's the first thing you see.

It's frustrating, because HN is doing a great job keeping things pretty constructive, but this still seems to reward negativity by thrusting it into view. Shouldn't it at least be below less-downvoted responses?