"No, you're not too tough on them. You're part of their strategies. You are partisan -- what you call it? -- hacks!" Stewart snapped.

But Carlson had a trick or two up his sleeve, noting that on "Crossfire" they ask politicians "pointed questions."

"I want to contrast our questions with some questions you asked John Kerry recently."

At that moment, up on the screen popped some of the questions Stewart had asked the candidate when he appeared on "The Daily Show," Stewart's Comedy Central late-night program.

"If you want to compare your show to a comedy show, you're more than welcome to," Stewart sneered.

"No, no, no, here's the point," Tucker said, going into that super-intense, piercing-stare, squeaky-voiced, quivering-bow-tie thing he does when he really gets going.

If that's your goal," Stewart added, really enjoying himself now. "I wouldn't aim for us. I'd aim for 'Seinfeld.' That was a very good show."