If anything, Mapes owes Rather an apology. Rather is a talking head who thinks he is a journalist. Mapes was his producer for 15 years. When Rather asked her if the documents were good, she said yes and Rather ran with it.
She is his trusted aide. You never want to believe that your aide has done anything that would compromise your integrity. But Mapes did, knowing full well that the DNC would protect her and Rather should anyone find out. The ability to make this go away was always a strong suit of the DNC. Ask Vince Foster.
Mapes didn't expect what has happened. I think Rather is really pissed at her right now and would probably be the one firing her. Rather can easily say that he trusted his producers research and signed off on it, citing her 15 year track record. He will take responsibility for that, which may give him back a bit of credibility, although not much.
Mapes will get fired, probably next Saturday when the news cycle slows down. The investigation will peg everything on her with Rather getting a slap for not vetting his producers research. Rather will stay at CBS and quietly retire early next year. Mapes will take a job at the DNC.
And life will go on.
Oh, bullplop. When you're tempted to think that Rather is just a deceived newsreader, recall everything you've ever heard come out of his mouth that he WASN'T reading from a script. Stick to the last four years, if you like. Start with "as she sees it, and she decrees it" while the Florida election results were being certified, and work your way up to "I KNOW THIS STORY IS TRUE".
He is as partisan as she is, if not more, considering Rather is a pal of Ramsey Clark. And practically a soulmate.
It is sheer luck he's finally been caught at his propaganda game, after getting away with it for decades, and I will NOT transfer the main share of the blame over to someone else. It's his. His, his, his.