Ha! I was thinking the exact same thing after I read the article. I mean, this truly shows the Republicans trying to be level-headed and not attack Clarke and point out a few contradictions. So what?
Even under oath you're allowed to present yourself well. If the parties had been reversed and I saw the statement, "We don't need to puff this up," I would think it means we don't need to counterattack. Simple and likely interpretation no matter who says it.