A comedy where it was meant as such as the focal joke of the media is more of a proof that, outside of that, it was not taken to be so.
"I'm sure that you mean well" is another modern form of a similar usage - and it's not sarcastic or insulting. It's usually used in a sincere attempt to be polite and understanding without accepting the point or stance wholesale. I can be use sarcastically or in condescension, but that's on the person using it, not any innate implication in the phrase.
I'm not saying that Gale is not being sarcastic or attempting to insult backhandedly (and given his delivery, I could certainly see someone reading an element of "yes, yes, be nice to the cretins" to it) - I'm saying that you should recognise that any interpretation that he is is just that - a player-side interpretation that is not carried inherently in the words or phrase used.
In short, I'm sure you mean well, but I sincerely disagree. ^.~
