Unusual, Extraordinary or Unique

In an article in the New York Times by Jim Rutenberg.

But the campaign’s attacks on the news media have been viewed by journalists and some strategists here as also serving tactical needs. Among them are to build a case that Ms. Palin is a victim of sexism, to change the subject, or, in the words of Leonard Downie Jr., the executive editor of The Washington Post, “to put boundaries on the press’s pursuit of the Palin story.”

I didn't know that editors criticized campaigns bluntly directly and for attribution in a competing newspaper.

It seems to me that Downie has decided that the McCain campaign has crossed a line and extraordinary measures are required. I might be ignorant, but I can't remember anything like that quote ever.

One sign of anger at McCain and Schmitt is the frankness about the MSMs closeness to McCain. The article begins with a description of top journalists celebrating Sen McCain's birthday with McCain (is it ethical for them to celebrate with public figures ? ) and ends noting how close they have been

“Probably no one in American politics over the last 20 years has had a closer relationship with the national press than John McCain,” said Albert R. Hunt, the executive Washington editor for Bloomberg News ...