(2005-02-25) -- Democrat National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today launched a tour of states that President George Bush won in November, with planned stops at what he called the "red-state trinity" -- churches, gun shops and Wal-Mart stores.

"The president has done a good job of throwing red meat to conservatives," said Mr. Dean during the first stop on his 'Blue Meat for Red States' tour. "I'm here to show that Democrats can speak this language too."

Mr. Dean first stopped at a gun shop, telling the proprietor, "I need to get me a shootin' iron."

Holding his purchase in the air, he said he was shocked that "an out-of-stater could walk into a gun shop and -- with no background check or waiting period -- buy the most powerful paintball weapon in the place."

He told a baptist church group that his favorite character in the Bible is "Bob the Tomato," but later revised his remarks to acknowledge that the Veggie Tales video series is "not usually included in the canon of Scripture."

The tour was delayed for about an hour in Topeka, KS, as Mr. Dean stood at a Wal-Mart "concierge desk" waiting for the arrival of his "personal shopper."