ANCHESTER, N.H. - In an effort to embarrass Bill Bradley here in the first-in-the-nation primary state, Vice President Al Gore's campaign will announce today that Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey is endorsing Gore for president.
Lautenberg also will attend tonight's Democratic town hall forum at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, in a show of support for Gore.
During a telephone interview yesterday, Lautenberg said he had had ''much more contact'' with Gore over the years than with Bradley, a former New Jersey senator who served with Lautenberg. He said he had committed to support Gore well before Bradley ever told him he would be getting into the race.
When asked what decision he would have made if he had known Bradley was going to run, Lautenberg said, ''All things being as they are, I would choose Al Gore again.''
Lautenberg said Gore's experience in the Senate and the vice presidency made him most qualified.
''I don't want to embarrass Bill Bradley,'' Lautenberg said. ''Should things go against my candidate and Bill Bradley's the nominee, I think I could very comfortably support Bill Bradley.''
