How to handle unpublished nodes and comments in D7?

Gathering some links and questions:

Post that introduced the feature: #452538: Enable Node Grants for Unpublished Nodes

Follow-up post after Domain Access ran into problems after ignoring the published status during the initial implementation (just like FA...): #920614: Unpublished content visible when a Node Access module is enabled
The result of this strategy is granting access to unpublished nodes. The solution is apparently to not return any grant records in the normal 'forum_access' realm, but to introduce a new 'forum_access_unpublished' realm. Then we'll need to figure out who can use those grants:
— roles that generally have access to unpublished content: 'administer nodes', ('bypass node access' always gives access anyway)
— moderators

Do we need a new 'View Unpublished' permission?

Should the 'Edit' permission allow setting the published status? If yes, it ought to allow viewing unpublished nodes, too, so that nodes cannot only be unpublished but also published.

Isn't 'Delete' more drastic than unpublishing? Should it allow unpublishing nodes? I guess yes... Should it allow publishing (and thus viewing) unpublished nodes? I guess no.

This video from DrupalCon San Francisco may bring some enlightenment: http://sf2010.drupal.org/conference/sessions/node-access-drupal-7

Plan for D8: #273595: Move permission "view any unpublished content" from Content Moderation to Node

There does not seem to be any interest in this functionality.

... but not in the context of forums. He doesn't mention Forum at all.