but context is important for those of us who are not biased for the democrats.

To say that UK is a small Island is a fact. To say that they have never been rich with resources is a fact. To say that they were the major super-power and ruled half the world's population is not an insult. Some might see it as a compliment.

Taken out of context you wonder what he might have been getting at.

The comments on being ready for the Olympics are hard to understand and if he has in fact backtracked or moderated the comments it was probably a gaff that could cost him a lot of votes in the UK.