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"Something to consider is that Mary Mapes is probably just another media droid who's so totally focused on advancing her career that she's intent on "breaking" the next huge story, to the point where's she's lost any objective journalistic viewpoint (supposing that she had one to begin with) in her pursuit to become the next Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein."

From the above story:

"Lockhart said Mapes asked him the weekend before the story broke to call Burkett. "She basically said there's a guy who is being helpful on the story who wants to talk to you," Lockhart said, adding that it was common knowledge that CBS was working on a story raising questions about Bush's Guard service. Mapes told him there were some records "that might move the story forward. She didn't tell me what they said."

If Mapes had the story, what possible reason would she have to call Lockhart and say that there were some "records that could move the story forward"?

Was she asking him to "authenticate" the documents?

Mapes told him there were some records "that might move the story forward. She didn't tell me what they said."

So Lockhart, hearing this, called Burkett. He called Burkett because she told him this. YET he now says he can't recall if he talked to Burkett about the very thing he called him about. He doesn't recall. He may have called him about the records and then just talked about other things, like the Texas Rangers, he can't recall. "I might have talked about what she told me to call him about, but I really don't recall. And I, a member of the Kerry campaihn, called him myself, but to say there is a link is baseless. A Link? That's beseless. I called him, yes. And we used the CBS footage in our ad against Bush, but a LINK? Baseless."

"If Mapes had the story, what possible reason would she have to call Lockhart and say that there were some "records that could move the story forward"?

Was she asking him to "authenticate" the documents?"
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Good point. This is what they would have us believe the conversation went like:

Lockhart:Hi Mary
Maples: Hi Joe. I just wanted to let you know you might want to contact Bill Burkett.
Lockhart: Ok. About what?
Maples: Well, we have some new documents about Bush's national Guard service. They might move the story forward.
Lockhart: oh yea. That story is common knowledge. Great. Thanks Mary. You have a Great day.
Maples: You too. Take care.

Now...... could this possibly have happened?

The conversation more likely went like:

Maples: Hey Joe, I heard you wanted to talk to me.
Lockhard: Hey Mary, yea I just talked to Max, Beth and John and everything is a go with those docs.
Maples: Ok, you need to talk to Burnett to make sure he is strait. I talked to him the other day and he is going to be our source. Just make sure he has the documents.
Lockhard: Ok, and you guys have Barnes signed up for an interview right? I talked to him ealier and he's got his playbook.
Maples: Yeah, yeah, its all taken care of. This should be a great hit.
Lockhart: No doubt. I can't wait to see their faces. Your doing a great job keep up the good work.
Maples: Thanks. Let me know if there is anything else we can do.
Lockhart: Bye
Maples: Bye

The only trouble with the Mapes calling the DNC scenario in September is that Burkette was posting on the internet back in August that he'd finally cut through all the layers in the Kerry campaign and got to ex-Sen. Max Cleland with some 'counterattack' information.

Like Occam's Razor, the most logical solution is that the DNC (unimpeachable source)told Mapes that Burkette had come up with the docs.

I can't see Mapes standing up for Burkette as an unimpeachable source if she's been on this story for five years. Burkette is notorious as a disgruntled Bush hater.