The whole problem with this will be the Sandy Berger Effect. The SBE means that a damning story erupts and simply gets ignored. That's what will happen here. It will be denied and soon ignored. Independent voters won't have a clue what went on, and all Rather has to say is that the challenges to his credibility are "partisan internet and talk radio" people, and the independent voter will understand that this is nothing.
So we must figure a way at FR not just to uncover this kind of thing, but to also carry it through to completion.
I don't think the rule of Sandypants applies here. The other networks and news agencies are in competition with each other more than they are biased against Bush. I think this might get more coverage than we think simply because they would rather smear their broadcast competitors more than they want to smear Bush. Or at least I'm hoping that's the case. The sad thing is that journalistic ethics won't be the motivating factor for this story, competition and ratings will.