"When you listen to Al Gore speak, you have to listen very carefully, you have to look at every word and every clause," Bradley said, mentioning Gore's remarks about abortion and gun control as examples. "Words can be used in a tricky manner."

Gore, who flew back to New Hampshire from Thursday night's State of the Union address, also campaigned on the state's seacoast today. Former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin appeared at his side to vouch for the vice president's capacity to keep the economy strong.

Asked about Bradley's remarks, Gore said, "I'm going to emphasize the positive."

Bradley has upended a key theme of his campaign -- that he is a new breed of candidate above traditional attack politics -- by going after Gore more aggressively, beginning with Wednesday night's debate. Bradley's attack today also echoed a long-running Republican criticism of President Clinton's use of language.

Bradley said that Gore talks about his support for registering handguns but in reality only proposes to register handgun buyers, not those who already own guns.

"The problem is not new handguns, the problem is all handguns," Bradley, who wants all handguns registered, said at a town hall meeting in Lebanon, N.H.

Hoping to enhance his appeal to the state's large pool of independent voters, Bradley arranged to accept an endorsement today from former Connecticut Gov. Lowell P. Weicker, a Republican-turned-independent whose name has been mentioned as a possible Reform Party candidate.

Aides said Weicker had long planned to endorse Bradley but was asked to hold off his announcement until just before Tuesday's primary for the strongest impact on voters.

Polls show Gore has moved ahead as the New Hampshire primary approaches, and Bradley abandoned his high-road tactic to directly confront his rival.

Bradley explained the change by saying "enough is enough" and he would no longer tolerate distortions by Gore. Gore and his aides said Bradley's new assaults smack of desperation.

"I won't be reinventing myself," said Bradley. "However, I can tell you right now I am no longer going to accept misrepresentations of my positions by Al Gore."

Bradley said he has gotten a positive response to his more confrontational style since the debate Wednesday. In the attack, the former New Jersey senator all but called Gore a liar, though he didn't use that word.

"Sometimes in politics people make misleading statements because they don't know any better," said Bradley. "I think he knows better, but he continues to say what is untrue."

That says volumes about what Gore would do if elected, Bradley argued.

"How you run a campaign is how you govern. That was the point I was making and I waited a long time to make it," Bradley said.

Gore, addressing employees of a high-tech firm in Manchester on Thursday, said anew that Bradley was turning the campaign negative.

"I don't understand how someone can condemn negative attacks while in the same breath can make negative attacks," said Gore, who cut his campaign day short to return to Washington to attend President Clinton's final State of the Union address.

One of Bradley's contentions in the debate was that Gore had been inconsistent on abortion rights, including voting as a member of Congress to restrict access to the procedure. And the suggestion haunted Gore on Thursday.

The vice president was a guest on a New Hampshire public radio call-in show when a woman accused him of lying about his abortion record in the debate. "I don't know how I can support your candidacy if you're so dishonest on national TV," she said.

In response, Gore said, "I have always supported Roe vs. Wade. I have always supported keeping abortion legal. And it's true, early in my career I voted to restrict the use of federal funding in some circumstances, but over the years I've come to the view that federal funding ought to be available."

In addition to the tougher rhetoric, Bradley stepped up his schedule Thursday -- starting early on a frigid morning and stumping deep into the evening -- and a new air of urgency surrounded his campaign entourage.

Along the way, he engaged in chaotic handshaking at grocery and convenience stores, even helping to bag groceries. He also mingled with patrons at a Portsmouth pub, where politics wasn't on the forefront of everyone's mind.

Bradley's shift in approach had been under discussion since he was hammered in the leadoff Iowa caucuses Monday night. Supporters such as Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey have been battering Gore in public, arguing that he's been distorting Bradley's record, and they have been pushing Bradley in private to become more aggressive.

The change risks Bradley's core appeal as the nontraditional politician who is above attack politics.

Gore aides dismissed the new approach as the last gasp of a troubled campaign.

"He's clearly listening to his consultants," said Gore spokesman Chris Lehane. "His music wasn't playing. This undermines the central presence of his campaign."