This is the behavior of people who already know 'the truth' and are merely looking for facts to back it up with. I don't know exactly what the word for that is, but it ain't 'journalism'.
I wonder about Rather, considering the scrutiny Kerry's records went through on the internet, the different vesions, denial by SON Lehman etc common sense would tell someone to verify any documents that they would be subject to a microscope. How they ran that story without contacting the family other than cursory shows intent to run with it. And they reported they had a document examiner review them, and they better have someone to fall on their sword for that one or they should be sued for fraud. If I was the widow the second CBS retracts, I would sue and find out who provided them in discovery.
On the other hand there seems to be sufficient doubt of the documents veracity to start a criminal investigation and Rather should be in front of a grand jury by the end of the week...