Republican radio host blissfully ignorant

The afternoon drive time show on Republican radio's WTMJ, the Green House, prides itself on being ignorant about state and local politics. Host Jonathan Green and sidekick Phil Cianciola frequently profess to knowing nothing about politics, how it works, or who anybody is. That doesn't stop Green from offering conservative viewpoints, of course (this is WTMJ, after all). He's just blissfully uninformed.

But Thursday, when Mark Reardon was filling in for Green, even the Green House outdid itself.

Discussing a wacky idea from State Rep. Sue Jeskewitz, R-Menomonee Falls, to pass a bill declaring a state tartan -- yes, a state tartan, as in plaid -- Cianciola suggested having a state pasta as well. Let's get a politician from Milwaukee, who represents the area where WTMJ is located, to introduce the bill, he said. In fact, let's call him up.

Who should we call?

Reardon, who does an evening talk show of his own, and who is promoted by the station as someone who "brings his passion for news and information" to the airwaves, could not think of the name of a single Milwaukee legislator (maybe because most are Democrats?).

He managed to cough up the names of two suburban Republican leggies -- Jeff Stone and Mark Gundrum, I think -- but was clueless about who might represent Milwaukee. He could not think of a single one, although there are five state senators and 12 state reps who represent at least part of Milwaukee.

He finally resorted to a Blue Book and began reading names, finally coming up with State Rep. Leon Young and State Sen. Jeff Plale. (Neither one represents the district where WTMJ is located. That would be State Rep. Polly Williams and State Sen. Lena Taylor.) When I got out of the car (the only place I listen), they were thinking about calling Plale. Apparently, they had at least heard of him.

Let's do a Charlie Sykes-style insight check. What does it say about the station's -- and Reardon's -- orientation and target audience?