ASHINGTON - In the battle for Democratic dominance in New Hampshire, Bill Bradley has launched an advertising blitz on Boston and Manchester television, outspending Al Gore by almost 10-to-1.
The outlay comes at a time when Gore's poll numbers seem to have stopped their downward drift and he has been criticizing Bradley daily on Medicare, Medicaid, and prescription drug coverage. Bradley has been largely silent in the face of the verbal onslaught, though he shot back Monday by calling Gore's commitment to campaign finance reform ''lip service.''
Darrell M. West, a political science professor at Brown University who specializes in campaign advertising, called the Bradley buy large for this point in the election cycle.
''Bradley wants to make sure he didn't peak in October,'' West said, explaining the strategy behind the action. ''I'd be surprised if Gore doesn't boost his ad buy given the large Bradley buy.''
Gore officials contend that they were shocked by the size of the television buy, saying it is the type of money usually spent in the last week or two before the primary.
''Bradley's realized that New Hampshire is it for him and is putting all his eggs in that basket,'' said Chris Lehane, Gore's press secretary. ''They have to win New Hampshire.''
Between Nov. 22 and Nov. 28, Bradley is spending $86,000 to air commercials on WMUR-TV and $290,600 on Boston television stations, according to sources in Gore's campaign. By contrast, Gore is spending $35,506 on WMUR-TV and he's not now airing any commercials in Boston.
Eric Hauser, a spokesman for the Bradley campaign, however, accused the Gore campaign of ''lying'' about the figures. He said Bradley is spending somewhat less: $252,000 on Boston television for that period, and $73,600 in New Hampshire.
Gore has been airing commercials in Iowa and New Hampshire for five weeks, while Bradley just launched his first television ad last week. The new Bradley buy will result in the former senator spending more overall than Gore in this period, though how much more is a matter of dispute between the two campaigns.
Hauser dismissed suggestions that Bradley is worried about his standing in New Hampshire.
''If there's any desperation it's coming from the Gore campaign,'' Hauser said. ''When an incumbent vice president has to be the first candidate on the air and spend money, of which they have less than we do, demonstrates who truly is worried.''
Yesterday, the Gore campaign unveiled its fourth ad of the political campaign with the vice president reaffirming his commitment to preserving Medicare and Medicaid, the health insurance programs for senior citizens, the poor, and the disabled.
''You can't fix what's wrong with our health care system by getting rid of things that are right,'' Gore says in the commercial. ''Medicaid is a safety net that 40 million Americans rely on. It needs to be improved, not eliminated.''
Although the ad never mentions Bradley, it is a direct slap at the former New Jersey senator. Bradley's health care plan would eliminate Medicaid and replace it with vouchers to move people into private health insurance plans. Gore has relentlessly attacked the idea, saying poor and disabled people would be left making up the difference between the subsidy and the actual cost.
''It's unfortunately consistent with the increasing divisiveness and negativity of their campaign,'' Hauser said of the Gore ad.
Bradley is also expected to begin airing a new television ad today, but his campaign declined to provide details.
