ST. LOUIS -- Like a junkyard dog, Democrat Al Gore stalked Republican George W. Bush for 90 minutes in the third and final presidential debate Tuesday, spoiling for a fight.

From the opening question it was in-your-face political combat on the circular stage which the two candidates in the Nov. 7 election were free to wander as they fielded questions from an audience of undecided voters.

Armed only with lapel microphones and vast disagreements on issues from health care to taxes to education, Vice President Gore managed to mount a display of aggressiveness. Bush, the governor of Texas, responded with his own repertoire of needling humor, knowing winks and dismissive shrugs.

The chorus of "I agrees" from the second debate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina last week gave way to a cacophony of "hold on," "wait a minute," and "here we go again."

Less than five minutes in, Bush accused Gore of lying about his position on a patients bill of rights.

"Actually Mr. Vice President, it's not true," he declared. "I do support a national patients bill of rights."

Gore strode across the red carpet, invading Bush's personal space, stood next to the Texan and demanded: "I want to know whether Gov. Bush will support the Dingell-Norwood bill."

The vice president was referring to a congressional bill sponsored by Sen, John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, and Rep. Charles Norwood, a Georgia Republican, that would provide protections for all persons in health plans, guaranteeing them coverage for emergency room services, access to specialists and clinical trials and providing an appeals process to address grievances.

MEEK GORE DISAPPEARED

Gore criticized the Texas governor in a mano a mano style, pointing an accusing finger or once telling the audience if they were opposed to his own policies, then "this is your man."

Clearly the meek Gore who was widely believed to have lost last week's second debate was nowhere to be found. In his place was the fire-breather who filleted his opponent in the Democratic primaries, former Sen. Bill Bradley.

While Bush remained close to the stool provided him, Gore walked all around the room, usually standing very close to the audience, trying to engage individuals with head nods and hand gestures, once even asking a question of a questioner, though moderator Jim Lehrer scolded him for violating the rules.

Bush took a more subtle approach, using humor to skewer his rival, turning his back and occasionally delivering knowing winks and nods to the audience.

"Let me finish ... hold on a minute," was his common refrain in the face of Gore's eagerness to jump in with responses. At times, the vice president sat ramrod straight on the very edge of his stool as if preparing to spring.

Bush spokesman Scott McClellan said Gore had reverted to type. "I think you saw the real Al Gore tonight as he resorted to his attacks and I think the American people will reject that," he said.

Ridiculed as pedantic and overbearing in the first debate and too passive in the second, Gore appeared to have blended those two performances and added a dash of extra pepper.

With exactly three weeks to go before the election and Bush enjoying a slight edge in momentum in a deadlocked race, it will be up to voters to decide if the dish was too hot.