It is my belief that Rather/Mape’s efforts were not mistakes but actually nothing more than a pure fabricated effort to take out a sitting President. In the 1970’s they would have gotten away with it. It is chilling that a news organization, respected by too many, would use their reputation to decide that the President needed to be taken out, and would do what it took to achieve their goal.
It has already been done. Richard Nixon's resignation was, in my opinion, a Drive-By Media coup d'etat.