I listen to the show when he has guests whose opinions interest me, e.g. Newt, Dick Morris (yes it's true) and a few others.
His "debates" with liberals feature him being just as rude and obnoxious as we say liberals are on the Meet the Press. Listen sometime and pretend the liberal point of view.
BTW, I studied more Latin and Greek in the seminary than he ever dreamed existed...but it doesn't make a theologian.
What Father did was take the same tactic that O'Reilly used when he went on Steven Colbert's show. He stayed detached and calm, unflappable I believe is the correct word. Like he knew he was going to be attacked and had mentally prepared for it.