BOSTON (AP) – Gov. Mitt Romney good-naturedly got and gave his share of Irish blarney on Sunday as politicians and community leaders roasted him, the Big Dig, and one another at South Boston’s annual St. Patrick’s Day breakfast.

Romney’s out-of-state travels for speeches to Republican gatherings and his rumored 2008 presidential aspirations were favorite punchlines at the popular gathering, held for the first time on at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center near the South Boston waterfront.

“It’s great to be here in Iowa this morning,” Romney said, to laughter from the audience. “Oops, wrong speech. Sorry about that.”

Romney, who’s taken fire from Democrats for his travels, also trained his comedic sights on leaks in the Big Dig tunnels, stem cell research and gay marriage, which he opposes.

“I have to admit, that as a Mormon, I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman… and a woman and a woman,” he said.

Like many of the other speakers, the event host, state Sen. Jack Hart, a Boston Democrat, used Romney as the butt of jokes, ribbing Romney about his opposition to therapeutic cloning, or creating embryos, for stem cell research.

“I don’t know if the governor understands its advantages. He could run for governor and president at the same time. Then, if he were to run for president, he could choose his perfect running mate – himself,” Hart said.

House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, who made light of his Italian heritage, also lit into Romney for his travels, asking if he’d had trouble finding his way from the airport.

“Are those tickets in your pocket?” he asked. “I don’t want to keep you too long. You can leave any time you want.”

Romney responded, “I’ll be here til you get funny.”

Romney and Attorney General Tom Reilly, who are expected to be opponents in the state’s 2006 gubernatorial race, traded good-natured insults. Romney’s said that Reilly must be jealous of his New York counterpart, Eliot Spitzer, for all the press Spitzer’s received for high-profile prosecutions of corporate leaders.

“Some people call it subpoena envy,”‘ Romney said.

Reilly, in turn, took a swipe at his presumptive opponent, sarcastically thanking him for not drawing a state salary as governor.

“Sometimes you get what you pay for,” Reilly said.

The Big Dig, the massive $14.6 billion highway project that has recently been in the news on a near-daily basis because of tunnel leaks, was a topic in its own right, despite the absence of Turnpike Authority Chairman Matthew Amorello. Romney has been trying to force Amorello from his position as head of the authority.

U.S. Rep Stephen Lynch, D-Boston, said he’d had to assure his colleagues in Washington that the Big Dig tunnels are safe, despite the leaks.

“With all that water, you should probably wait at least an hour after you’ve had something to eat before you drive through the tunnels,” he said. “Matt Amorello said he’s trying to make it look like Venice.”

Mayor Tom Menino offered Amorello a toast: “May the water in the road rise to meet you, may the ceiling tiles fall behind your back, may the fireproofing shine warmth on your face, and may the retirement papers be certified a half hour before the governor knows you’re gone,” he said.

AP-ES-03-20-05 1431EST