Forget Barack and Mitt. The “Rumble in the Air Conditioned Auditorium” as it was dubbed between Bill O’Reilly and Jon Stewart was so big that the host company’s internet server feed crashed because so many wanted to tune in.
The Fox News host and Comedy Central star clashed in Washington last night in a battle for the ages, but unlike Romney’s big night there was no O’Reilly rout or Stewart smackdown.
The event took place at George Washington University Auditorium and 1,500 attended with thousands more paying to watch on line.
The New York Times stated “It was a battle for hearts and minds, a chance to appeal to those who see the world differently and try to move those realities just a little closer together.”
There was lots of serious stuffJ especially when Stewart told off O’Reilly after the Fox host had complained about government handouts. O’Reilly himself had got government help as the son of a World War II veteran.
O’Reilly disagreed it was a government handout and Stewart pounced
“Why is it that if you take advantage of a tax break and you’re a corporation, you’re a smart businessman, but if you take advantage of something that you need to not be hungry, you’re a loser?” Mr. Stewart said.
O’Reilly agreed that Stewart they shared a concern for veterans.
“We should not have gone to Iraq,” he added. “Afghanistan, we had to.”
Thousands of viewers online were unable to watch and organizers explained their servers had crashed due to the demand.
Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” played the role of O’Reilly stand in in a pre debate rehearsal on Stewart’s show telling Stewart to “never admit your opponent is right,”
O’Reilly told Stewart that his coach was Professor Irwin Corey, the 98-year-old comedian known as “The World’s Foremost Authority.”
O’Reilly won plaudits from a generally young and Democratic audience and was more than able to hold his own.
His most controversial remarks were on health care“I think the whole health care system has to be reorganized in this country. It has to be, basically, run by insurance companies, not the government,” which drew boos.
Half of the profits from the debate will be donated to charity.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.bromeliads | Oct 09, 2012, 05:31 PM EDT
O'Reilly actual news correspondent w/Masters in Broadcasting Journalism & award to prove it. Stewart actual satirical comedian little over 2% watch him for in-depth news; but for news driven humor he is liked. I think it was a bad paring even if money went to the needy.
casualMBA | Oct 08, 2012, 09:01 PM EDT
This is common knowledge.
bostonrugby | Oct 08, 2012, 03:22 PM EDT
Not only is O'Reilly Jewish he hails from Cavan, well known home of the O'Reillyivichs who hail from somewhere in the Ukraine. They stopped off in Ballyjamesduff for a pint on their way to the new world and some cute whore stole all their money so they had to stay....
casualMBA | Oct 08, 2012, 01:54 PM EDT
So both of these commentary catylsts are playing up to the "Rumble" crowd? Why don't you give some ground, all you West Siders and duck tailing Elvis lovers? O'Reilly needs to claim the Baby Boomer status he has, with WWII in his DNA, and the sixties and body bags in his adult consciousness. His snubbing and discounting of those taking "handouts" is rightly confronted by a talented (Jon) Stewart. Does a grant, or a "free" lunch, discredit a person, whereas a corporation using a tax shelter gets the corporation better credit in the capital markets and a raise for its CEO and corporate status among its peers? Is there no purpose to a safety net, or participating in it? Does a cellar team exist without talented athletes? Confer spokesman status only on the "Rumble" anointed, or the grasping guy ready to leap clean over the Baby Boomer cohort, O'Reilly? I think not. Retirement, health care, New Orleans, national defense, the red and green light at the intersection attest to the value and non-stigmatizing fairness of participation in a public safety net.
donegalcali | Oct 08, 2012, 12:27 PM EDT
Loved this debate and loves the talking points. I thought why dont the candidates talk about these things instead of secret corporate policy that nobody is intrested in.
cillowen | Oct 07, 2012, 07:27 PM EDT
o'reilly will soon be ripe for conversion - that liebowitz guy is sharp.
Joe Kelsall | Oct 07, 2012, 06:48 PM EDT
I think O'Reilly is a Schmuck!
marvin nubwaxer | Oct 07, 2012, 04:27 PM EDT
"Half of the profits from the debate will be donated to charity. and i bet o'reilly got the other half.
Eschetic | Oct 07, 2012, 02:27 PM EDT
Amusing as Stewart frequently is, it is beyond me why any rational person would "tune in" to see or hear O'Reilly, who is more sick comedian and provocateur/prevaricator than "commentator" blather on. Maybe younger folk than I simply need to chuckle at the man for his perversion - but the classic challenging humor of a Lenny Bruce made much more rational sense.
forflann | Oct 07, 2012, 01:12 PM EDT
O'Reilly is Jewish?
Cherball | Oct 07, 2012, 10:38 AM EDT
To Israelis having a nice chat.