DEMOCRATIC DEBATE Here are the particulars of tonight's Democratic presidential candidates debate. PARTICIPANTS: Vice President Al Gore, former Sen. Bill Bradley TIME: 7 p.m. PLACE: Johnson Theatren Paul Creative Arts Center, the University of New Hampshire MODERATOR: Peter Jennings, ABC News SPONSORS: New England Cable News, Manchester Union Leader, New Hampshire Public Television. MORE COVERAGE Bradley, Gore turn up heat in debate To many voters, personalities clear but policies aren't Press freed of campaign staff Bradley plays Clinton card against vice president Truth Squad: A mangled health plan in Democratic debate Excerpts of the debate UMass Boston to host fall presidential debate

''When I hear you talk, Al, it reminds me of a Washington bunker. And I think you're in a Washington bunker,'' Bradley said.

Gore, whose once-commanding lead here has turned into a deficit in some polls, shot back with his own definition of Bradley, suggesting the former New Jersey senator is an ''academic'' by temperament, a man who is reluctant to admit error and who might not have the experience or political pragmatism to provide decisive leadership in the White House.

''The presidency is not an academic exercise. It is not a seminar on theory. It has to be a daily fight for people,'' Gore said.

It was the the fourth Democratic debate in the first-primary state, held on the University of New Hampshire campus, and clearly the contenders are getting tired of hearing each other talk. They provided not just a snapshot of the increasingly acrimonious race, but also a slingshot array of charges and countercharges. Bradley was more sarcastic and acerbic than he has yet been, while Gore seemed determined to cast himself as the underdog in the New Hampshire contest.

In one particularly testy exchange, when Gore portrayed himself as trailing in the state, Bradley, who long trailed Gore, could no longer restrain himself. ''Al, your underdog pitch brings tears to my eyes,'' he said.

''I hope my upset victory brings tears to your eyes,'' Gore retorted.

The debate appeared to mark something of a turning point in Bradley's strategy. For most of his campaign, Bradley has said he wouldn't play the ''politics of the dartboard,'' insisting that he would present his proposals and let voters determine their value. But in recent weeks, as Gore has become more aggressive in attacking Bradley - especially on his health-care plan - Bradley has grown visibly irritated and occasionally angry.

Last night, Bradley repeatedly let his displeasure show.

Each candidate was asked whether his opponent has distorted a position. Gore said he couldn't think of an example. But Bradley jumped at the question, saying that Gore has repeatedly misrepresented the impact of his health-care plan.

Bradley said that he was ''really offended'' that Gore has claimed he would hurt African-Americans and Latinos with his health-care plan. And he was equally unhappy with Gore for having said he would eliminate Medicaid without saying what he would replace it with.

''To say to me, who has had a deep commitment to the issue of racial unity in this country since I started in politics, that I would go out and hurt African-Americans and Latinos consciously as a part of a policy really offended me,'' Bradley said.

Gore, however, was thoroughly unapologetic about Bradley's grievances.

''You know, Harry Truman said in 1948, `I'm not giving them hell, I'm just telling the truth and he thinks it's hell,''' said Gore. ''I didn't say any of the things that you heard. What I said is that poor people are disproportionately likely to be minority, disproportionately likely to be African American and Latino.''

The vice president said those people would be hurt by Bradley's ''little, $150 a month voucher'' for health insurance. ''It is incredibly inadequate,'' he said.

But Bradley also disputed Gore's description of the $150 vouchers: ''Al is saying all the time that it's a $150 cap. It's not a cap. It's a weighted average. Some places it will be more, some places it will be less.''

Lightly mocking Bradley's explanation, Gore asked, ''What is a weighted average? I remember the old story about the man who had his feet on a block of ice and his head in the oven and according to the weighted average he was really comfortable with it.''

Gore pressed ahead, charging that Bradley's voucher system would not give New Hampshire citizens enough money to buy into existing health insurance plans.

''All of the people who would be affected in New Hampshire would be left out, they would be left high and dry because there is no plan that they can buy into,'' Gore said.

Annoyed at the continuing barrage, Bradley fired back. ''First of all, let me explain to you Al, how the private sector works. OK?'' Bradley said. ''If you have 30 million people, you're going to find insurance companies competing to provide the lowest cost service.''

Gore stood rigid in response, betraying his emotions with a smirk caught by the television cameras.

Last night, Gore was able to respond to Bradley's biggest complaint that he would not provide universal health insurance to all Americans with a big gun: Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Gore said he is committed to health coverage and that he has the backing of the Massachusetts senator, ''the greatest champion of health care in the United States Senate.'' Gore has proposed giving health insurance to every child, as well as their parents, as a first step.

The 60-minute debate, moderated by ABC-TV anchor Peter Jennings and co-sponsored by the Manchester Union Leader and New Hampshire Public Television, touched on everything from logging in the White Mountain National Forest to the personal conduct of President Clinton.

Early in the debate, Gore seemed to go out of his way to acknowledge making mistakes, saying that he was wrong to have telephoned Democratic donors from his White House office. The reason for Gore's candor became clear later in the debate, when he said that a presidential candidate should be willing to admit making mistakes.

Bradley, meanwhile, at first played down a question about whether Gore should have more strongly condemned Clinton's affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. ''The vice president I think was vice president, which means that he was not critical of the president,'' Bradley said. Having planted this thought early in the debate, Bradley returned to it in a much harsher way at the end, suggesting that the impeachment trial of the president and the campaign finance scandal had put Gore in a Washington ''bunker.''

For conservatives, the defining moment of the debate may have come when the men were questioned on whether they minded being labeled as a liberal. Neither candidate uttered a whisper of complaint. Bradley underscored his support for universal health care, licensing of all 65 million handguns and the open participation of gays in the military.

''I don't think the views that I have espoused are a disadvantage running for president,'' Bradley said.

Gore similarly cited his support for issues such as gun control and said that people can label his philosophy any way they choose.

Gore, referring to Bradley's displays of pique, said, ''You know, sometimes... Bill gets a little out of sorts just talking - when I talk about the substance of the policy. I certainly do not want to talk about him as a person, especially not in a critical way. I respect Bill, I really do. I'm not just saying that as a ploy. I think he's a genuinely good person.''

Jennings then turned to Bradley and asked: ''Do you agree with him?''

''I agree with what he said, yes,'' Bradley said. ''I think I'm a genuinely good person.''

This story ran on page A01 of the Boston Globe on 1/6/2000.
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