Names and faces

— There were all the trappings of a high-octane presidential debate, but the presidential candidates were nowhere to be found. In their place Saturday were two celebrity gabbers who have claimed their stakes to the polar opposite ends of the political spectrum: Bill O’Reillyand Jon Stewart. The political odd-couple came to Washington ready to tangle in an event mockingly dubbed “The Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium.” Choice words not suitable for the faint of heart dotted the 90-minute exchange between the Fox News anchor and the star of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, who bantered aggressively but good-naturedly over birth control, President George W. Bush and the “War on Christmas.” The pair appeared wholly presidential in dark jackets and face makeup under a sign reading “Yum, this banner tastes like freedom.” Stewart came prepped with a mechanical pedestal he used to elevate himself in the air, making the height challenged comedian appear taller than the lanky O’Reilly when he wanted to drive a point home. “The display that you saw tonight is why America is America. Robust, creative, no holds barred,” O’Reilly said after the debate. “You can call it whatever you want, but you wouldn’t see this in a lot of other countries. That’s for sure.”

Actress Daryl Hannah has been released from a Texas jail after her arrest as she protested an oil pipeline designed to move crude from Canada to the GulfCoast. The Tyler Morning Telegraph reported this weekend that Hannah was freed on $2,500 bond Thursday night but faces criminal trespass charges. Hannah was arrested earlier Thursday in Winnsboro, about 100 miles east of Dallas. She and 78-year old Eleanor Fairchild were arrested as they blocked heavy equipment in an attempt to halt construction of the Keystone XL pipeline through Fairchild’s land. Fairchild was released on a personal recognizance bond. Hannah also was arrested in August 2011 while protesting the pipeline in Washington. Her manager, Paul Bassis, told the Telegraph, “When people engage in civil disobedience, it’s a last resort.”

Front Section, Pages 2 on 10/08/2012

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