Don't you think the New Yorker was meant as a jab at Republicans, that backfired because Obama reacted weird?

[Bpos O]

Stewart took the Obama camp to task for calling the cartoon "tasteless and offensive":

"Really? You know what your response should've been? It's very easy here, let me put the statement out for you: Barack Obama is in no way upset about the cartoon that depicts him as a Muslim extremist. Because you know who gets upset about cartoons? Muslim extremists! Of which Barack Obama is not. It's just a f*cking cartoon!"

And at first Obama said stiltedly, "I have no comment about that".

If it weren't true I've have expected him to joke about it or act surprised, not just say "I have no comment about that." and then later call it offensive.

To me, he took what was supposed to be defusing irony and compounded his reputation as just what was pictured.