I have read this thread with great interest. A couple of thoughts:
It would be a very brave regulator that ignored the recommendations of the independent safety auditor. In the UK the CAA make great efforts in absolving themselves of any risk ownership and I can't imagine the FAA being any different.
I'm sure the battery problem will be solved one way or another. As others have said, the BIG question must be about the efficacy of the whole safety management process utilised in designing the aircraft. Boeing could be lucky and this event may be the only example of unsafe design, procurement or manufacture in the 787. On the other hand......