Bill O'Reilly definitely won the face-off with Jon Stewart on the O'Reilly Factor last night but Stewart closed with some haymakers that kept the margin of victory down.

America's favorite left and right wing pundits produced surprisingly little fireworks. Both men were incredibly polite to one another.

One longed for a Michael Moore, or some other agent provocateur, to lose his cool and throw a tantrum.

O'Reilly's home court advantage certainly helped. From the outset he peppered Stewart with questions and the strangely passive Comedy Central host seemed to give formulaic answers.

O'Reilly even channeled his inner Tim Russert -blessed be his name -when he flashed up on screen comments abut Stewart that called him a 'cultural arbiter.'

Stewart seemed a little disengaged in the middle rounds, content to try and parry the friendly barbs of Bill O'.

However, as the interview entered its last two minutes or so Stewart improved significantly.

He underscored how legitimate concerns about Obama had been turned by Fox into a 'full panic attack' for millions of Americans that Obama was a raving socialist.

He also credited Fox with having the clearest narrative on TV about who the good and bad guys were. However, when O'Reilly tried to explain away Glenn Beck as just a regular guy Stewart was all over him.

O'Reilly tried to say that Beck represented some kind of everyman phenomenon but Stewart was having none of that.

Overall, O'Reilly won on points because Stewart seemed so subdued for so long.

Tune in tonight for Round 2 when O'Reilly allegedly vets Stewart for Vice President-now that should be fun.