Stewart More of a Journalist Than O'Reilly in Every On-Air Meeting

COMMENTARY | When Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly get together, what happens has been described as an ongoing feud. Some sort of an intellectual tussle between two of the most watched pundits on television. In truth, it's closer to a comedian who also covers news exposing an apologist for the way his network covers news.

In the latest flareup, according to the Los Angeles Times, O'Reilly jumped on the right-wing bandwagon and began attacking the Obama administration for allowing entertainer and rapper Common to attend poetry night at the White House. O'Reilly was particularly upset because of Common's song about Assata Shakur, convicted in the killing of a police officer.

Stewart went on to skewer O'Reilly about his bias, and speaks to Fox News and the "selective outrage machine" which serves only to attack Obama on whatever front it can. Stewart's assessment of Fox follows a common thread, as he has brought it up before. Following is a look at three favorite episodes in that vein.

Jon Stewart tells Bill O'Reilly he is "the thinnest kid at fat camp."

In February of 2010, Stewart went on The Factor and focused on the credibility of Fox News. Stewart gave a backhanded compliment to O'Reilly, but it was flavored with a strong snicker factor.

"You have become in some ways the voice of sanity here, which, as I said, is like.....being the thinnest kid at fat camp," Stewart said, according to the Atlantic Wire. "Their cyclonic perpetual emotion machine that is a 24-hour a day, 7-day a week," he added about Fox as a whole, explaining his view of the network's punditry.

"They've taken reasonable concerns about this president and this economy and turned it into a full-fledged panic attack about the next coming of Chairman Mao. Explain to me why that is the narrative of your network?"

Bill O'Reilly is fearful, Jon Stewart gives him a teddy bear and some cocoa.

"I'm afraid," O'Reilly says; "I'm scared to death;" and "I'm, along with a lot of other Americans, very uneasy" about Barack Obama are some of the outtakes Stewart provides in November of 2008. He then goes on to offer Billo solace in the "Safe Zone."

Stewart gives O'Reilly a teddy bear named "Mr. Snuggles" and some hot cocoa, then tells O'Reilly he is in a "safe place," and that he wants to talk about "getting over your fear. Fear of governance. What are you afraid of with Barack Obama?"

Stewart was among the first to speak to the fear-mongering of Fox News talking heads with regard to the election of Obama.

Jon Stewart appears on O'Reilly's show: Bill is condescending, Stewart comes out looking more reasonable.

Going back to September 2004, Stewart appeared on The Factor to talk about his book and politics in general. Right away, O'Reilly called viewers of The Daily Show "stoned slackers."

Stewart makes O'Reilly look silly for the boycott of France O'Reilly helped promote, and tried to ease the host's obvious hurt feelings because John Kerry went on The Daily Show and didn't come on The Factor. It was an early entry into the running debates between Stewart and O'Reilly.