Dean Makes His After-Dark Pitch

Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean poked fun at his fund-raising success Tuesday in his first appearance on the Jay Leno show.

In a film clip, Dean was shown playing a guitar on a street next to signs reading, "Your change for real change" and "Will strum for presidency." People were shown placing money in an open guitar case.

Posted updates on his Web site showed Dean had raised more than $14.2 million in a three-month period, breaking the Democratic presidential record for a single quarter set by then-President Clinton, who raised $10.3 million over three months in 1995.

Earlier in the day, Dean campaigned in the inner city of Los Angeles, promising jobs, health care and a dialogue on race at a meeting with local leaders who have long been skeptical of politicians' promises.

Dean didn't call for money but rather assailed President Bush for what the Democrat said was the government's failure to put money into blighted urban areas. The former Vermont governor also promoted his plans for widespread health care coverage and education funding and promised to work toward creating jobs in inner cities. He also supported affirmative action.

"We have a 400-year-old legacy of Jim Crow and slavery and that is not going to be overcome because we all have good intentions," he said.

Dean called for a national dialogue on racial issues, saying whites can be indifferent to the plight of minorities.

By Robert Jablon