The whole feathered dinosaur debate is actually dividing many in the scientific community right now. Other than it's size this is really no different than any of the other claimed feathered dino discoveries.
Here is part of a letter written by Storrs Olson, the Smithsonian's leading expert on birds and bird fossils. It was addressing "The National Geographic Society":
"The idea of feathered dinosaurs and the theropod origin of birds is being actively promulgated by a cadre of zealous scientists in concert with certain editors at Nature and National Geographic who themselves have become outspoken and highly biased proselytizers of the faith. Truth and careful scientific weighing of evidence have been among the first casualties of their program, which is now fast becoming one of the grander scientific hoaxes of our age ? the paleontological equivalent of cold fusion. If Sloan's article is not the crescendo of this fantasia, it is difficult to imagine to what heights it can next be taken. But it is certain that when the folly has run its course and has been fully exposed, National Geographic will unfortunately play a prominent but unenviable role in the book that summarizes the whole sorry episode."
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