Who cares? If he had said "don't expect partnership news before Q1 2011" then you would have been ok with it, but that's functionally the same as saying "don't expect partnership news before rida data are out."
So can you explain why this matters to Ariad the corporation?
You are beating a dead horse. It's not a tactical error if it is the truth. I have every reason to believe it is the truth.
As shareholder, large or small, you can't expect to hear just what you want to hear. You want management give you as much information as possible, good or bad.