Byrd said the brochure sent by the Republican National Committee to the homes of many evangelical Christians in West Virginia and Arkansas is "trash (and) it's a lie."

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"You're being fed a bunch of trash," he told an interfaith group convened in Beckley to talk about how Kerry would keep traditional family values a focus of his administration. "The people who put this out (are) taking West Virginians to be gullible, ignorant fools."

Waving the copy of the U.S. Constitution he always carries, Byrd told the group "the Constitution will never let the Bible be banned."

Last week, the RNC acknowledged sending the literature that claims "the liberal agenda includes removing 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance" and shows a Bible with the word "BANNED" across it. It also shows a photo of a man, on his knees, placing a ring on the hand of another man with the word "ALLOWED," a reference to same-sex marriage.

Mary Diamond, the RNC's spokeswoman in West Virginia, said the brochure highlighted a topic that has become an issue in the campaign, same-sex marriage.

"When the Massachusetts court sanctioned same-sex marriage, it became an issue for a lot of people, especially in West Virginia," she said.

A Massachusetts court ruled last November that it was unconstitutional to bar same-sex marriages in that state. In May, the state allowed same-sex couples to marry.

Saying the Bush administration had improperly hijacked the issue of faith, Byrd told the group that no one side has the market on Christianity or belief in God.

"God does not favor the particular position of any politician or political party," he said. "They are doing wrong when they say that."

Later in the day Byrd also spoke to an overflow crowd in an auditorium at the University of Charleston. As in Beckley he received a standing ovation when he entered the hall, and many cheers and ovations as he spoke.

Many carried copies of Byrd's recently published book, "Losing America: Confronting a Reckless and Arrogant Presidency."

"Three years ago, I did not dream of writing this book," Byrd said. "But this administration is a real threat, a very real threat, to this Constitution... It has never been threatened as it is threatened today."

He denounced President Bush as having "an arrogant attitude."

"It is we the people who set the rules," Byrd said. "This administration sees itself as above the law."

Byrd has endorsed Kerry's presidential bid and serves with U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., as co-chairmen of Kerry's West Virginia campaign.

West Virginia's senior senator has been an outspoken critic of President Bush's national policies and his decision to go to war in Iraq. He said the Bush administration has fought against extending unemployment benefits, providing health insurance for all Americans and increasing the minimum wage.

"Don't let this president come into this state and tell you he's a friend of the working man," Byrd said. "We ought to rise up on Election Day and go out and vote and take other people to vote and vote for John Kerry."

Byrd, who was among 23 senators who voted against giving Bush the authority to invade Iraq, said he always supports American troops and votes to supply their needs.

"What would Jesus, the Prince of Peace, think about a nation that begins a pre-emptive war based on lies," Byrd said.

"The framers of the Constitution did not believe that awful decision should be made by one man."