The poster for the debate.

Fox News host Bill O’Reilly suggested last night that President Obama should go on a double date with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a possible method to frighten Iranian leaders.

“All Barack Obama has to do is go on a double date with Bibi, with Netanyahu,” said the conservative TV host. “Just double date with him, go anywhere with him, that sends a little message to Tehran: They might be making up some stuff.”

The Iranians are “not scared of us,” O’Reilly explained. “And the reason is not anything that the president has done overtly. … But the signal he sends to the world is, ‘Hey let’s have a conversation.’ And his voice goes up five octaves.”

The comments were made during a debate between O’Reilly and liberal Comedy Central star Jon Stewart entitled “The Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium,” that took place on the campus of George Washington University, and was streamed online to viewers.

The Chicago Tribune reported on Stewart’s response to O’Reilly’s suggestion, writing that he “amusingly called O’Reilly the “Secretary of Senility” for ludicrously suggesting that Iran’s ruling mullahs would have a shiver go up their collective spines if only President Obama would go on a “double date” with Benjamin Netanyahu. Yes, lack of high-profile Israeli-U.S. lunches is the major reason for that Middle Eastern quagmire.”

Other topics discussed at the comical debate included entitlements, the recent attacks in Libya, President Bush and the upcoming presidential elections.

Organizers for the event said that demand was so high, that  their servers were overloaded and a number of people reported experiencing technical difficulties in accessing the debate.