You are right, the only way they cannot get away with my pessimistic view is if we, the public, keep the pressure on them to tell the truth. I just have seen one too many important stories get swept under the rug next to Vince Foster's body. I know I have to be more optimistic: it was a FReeper who caught the forgery and gave CBS the first (of several) black eyes.
Well, look at it this way. 15 years ago would we be at this point? CBS acknowledging the existence of 'anonymous' posters on the internet? Being forced to respond to charges of forgery first discovered by members of this board than a blog?
As always, I don't know what will happen in the future. I can only say judging from past history, gains have been incrementally made in the past couple of decades not only in alternative media but within Republican gains in Senate, House and Presidency. Whatever results from the forgeries, a wall has been broken. The landscape is going to look remarkedly different 10 years from now, just as we look back to note it has already changed more than we understood while in the moment 10 years earlier.
There are setbacks, of course, but I'd wager the risk to say overall we've won more battles than have been lost and this movement is growing.