"Now let me be clear"

Just heard AG Eric Holder, who ought to know better, on the radio opening a remark with the phrase, "Now let me be clear."

Mr. Holder, I promise you, you don't need my permission.  Permission granted to be clear in all your oral and written communications.

Is this phrase meant to suggest, "Normally my statements are arcane, obscure, inscrutable, and opaque. What you've heard up to this point has been vague, indefinite, cryptic, and enigmatic. But I'm going to take a pause from my habit of vague statements, just this once, with your permission, to make an intelligible, unequivocal, definitive statement."