The Ethereum team, including its leader, have a history of taking things too lightly. So when someone points out at inconsistencies and details they tend to become nervous. Their Casper protocol is advertised all the time, but the implementation is being delayed over and over again. Hoskinson has every right to be pedantry in rebutting the whitepaper, because if the ETH protocol is flawed, a lot of money will be at stake.
It does seem at times that all Ethereum team is doing is trying to pump ETH by promising casper and plasma. I do hope they will eventually fulfill their promises.