Change the Rules: Why Not?

On October 19th, the major newspapers in Texas along with KLRU-TV will sponsor the first gubernatorial debate of 2010.  The invites went out to front running incumbent Rick Perry, closest rival former mayor of Houston Bill White, Libertarian Kathie Glass and the Green Party's Deb Shafto.  Not everyone involved is happy with the ground rules that have been hammered out, especially the Austin American Statesman, who's editorial staff argue that the change from 10% threshold of people surveyed to 1% is a waste of time and accused the Perry camp of more stall tactics.  Now while it's true that Perry has been seen as ducking question and seemingly is scared to meet White face to face, the fact that other candidates will be present is not that big of a deal.  We the voters know who the election will come down to and a "progressive" paper like the Statesman usually backs the inclusion of minority parties.  Are we to believe that a third party with any chance of competing wouldn't get their full endorsement?  After all this is the paper that was in favor of the so called "Fairness Doctrine".  These other candidates have no other means to get their message out, they can't raise the funds that the two major parties can, and exposure during the debate, while not ultimately proving the decisive factor, will prevent these others from feeling like the sacrificial lambs that they truly are.  We should hear all points of view.  Isn't that what free speech is all about?