It's not the first time, but the current job market, especially as of this month, is neither a candidate's or employer's market. Employers are laying off and can demand a lot, yes, but that doesn't mean the position can be lowballed. Candidates are more than able to negotiate and demand basic things like an industry standard/experience based salary, but openings are rare in many markets.
In short, nobody knows what the hell is going on, but a recruiter/interviewer/hr person should not be talking down to candidates. If the economy is swirling the drain, you don't want to be a company known for being awful to employees.