Isn't that a false dilemma? That's just one relative comparison, which is meant to illustrate just how much he dislikes that particular option by visibly placing and signalling it as even lower than something else generally understood as being a net negative option.

Basically: "I've considered this, but so far found that it was even worse than other options I've already considered, so I'll keep looking" - is what I understand as the main point behind the wording he used.