The Uncommonwealth

From the Boston Herald:

Dems howl over unGuarded joke
By Elisabeth J. Beardsley
Friday, April 30, 2004

Gov. Mitt Romney's top military official used his state e-mail account to blast out a joke that derides Democrats as flag-burners, mocks Sen. Ted Kennedy's drinking habits, and suggests the Democratic National Convention would host a ``terrorist appeasement workshop.''

National Guard Adjutant General George W. Keefe - who may be called upon to assist in security at this summer's convention - sent the e-mail April 23 at 11:52 a.m. - well within the workday - before meeting the Republican governor at a ceremony marking approval for another year on his term.

Entitled ``2004 DNC Program,'' the mock convention agenda kicks off with an ``opening flag burning ceremony,'' and later refers to ``posting the Iraqi colors,'' a ``Free Saddam pep rally,'' and a re-enactment of Sen. John F. Kerry's ``fake medal toss.''

In between the ``abortion demonstration by NARAL'' and the ``maximizing welfare workshop,'' the mock agenda tees up a ``multiple gay marriage ceremony,'' complete with ``threesomes.'' At six different points, the 25-item mock agenda says: ``Ted Kennedy proposes a toast.''

The Internet joke is making the e-mail rounds in the Romney administration, starting with Department of Public Health employee Will Kingkade, who forwarded it to Keefe.

Keefe, a two-star major general, then did his part by sending it to 17 others, including state workers in the Guard, the Department of Correction and the University of Massachusetts.

Democrats howled for Keefe's head, saying the e-mail raises questions about whether Keefe can be trusted at the helm of an organization that could be charged with helping to protect the Democratic party luminaries and 35,000 delegates.

``He's a public embarrassment, and he ought to resign,'' state Democratic Party Chairman Phil Johnston said. ``It's outrageous that a public employee is spending his time making up ditties about Democrats when he should be doing his job.''