"The campaign is more a matter of doing homework now. We know our guy can draw the votes, and it's not the same helter-skelter as it was before the primary," Zellner continues. "The entire party hierarchy is working together now. Reagan has brought about unity. In the primaries, he was not a dividing force. And Carter is so bad, people are willing to unify."

How has the campaign managed to appeal to the moderate Republicans in the state, given Reagan's image as a conservative? Zellner grows annoyed at the seemingly innocuous question, raising his voice. "Only in Harvard, Massachusetts, is Reagan not considered a moderate. Right now, he is mainstream. The primaries showed it."

Thayer, in whose law office the headquarters are located, swivels from the TV. "How do you read Massachusetts?" he asks.

The Salty Dog

Happy Hour starts at 4 p.m. at The Salty Dog pub in Manchester, but Dave Pidgeon has been there since three. Pidgeon, born in the Bronx, N.Y., sells for a living. He left work early to come to The Dog to talk about the debate last Tuesday, two days earlier. He has mulled over the same drink for an hour.

"I wouldn't be surprised to see Anderson win it all," he says. "I talked to four people today who told me they're going to vote for Anderson. It would be great to see the underdog come in. I wouldn't be surprised."

Pidgeon thinks Carter has made some mistakes, and points out a subject close to home, the South Bronx. "He should never have made that commitment, and now Reagan is railing about it. But Reagan could never do anything about it either. They should burn the place down." Pidgeon has lived in Manchester for six years, and says he is one of the few people around town who has never met a presidential candidate in person.

But he doesn't care to meet Carter. "In that debate, he reminded me of Nixon. Defensive. Nixon without getting caught."

Mike Lupour, a factory worker who has encountered several White House hopefuls, overhears. "If you ask me, Carter is scary. Here's this debate, and everyone thinks Reagan is the scary one. But Carter reminded me of Nixon. Four more years. I don't know."

A commercial comes over the television, and the bar is hushed. "...Vote Republican. For a change." Lupour turns, and says slowly, "Look. Ronald Reagan is a nice guy."

The Real War

In Concord or in Manchester, signs for Reagan and Carter are hard to find. Clearly, the focus of attention has shifted to tight and emotional local races more likely to produce a high turnout. The signs for the state campaigns abound: Gallen vs. Thompson for governor, Durkin vs. Rudman for Senate, all the way down to Francis Sheine for Governor's Council.

Although traditionally a Republican state in the presidential race, New Hampshire usually has a high "split" vote, ar the latest polls show Democratic Gov. Hugh Gallen and Democratic Sen. John Durkin holding hard-earned but firm leads in the gubernatorial and senatorial races.

Sally Apgar, 22, is Durkin's press secretary. She worked with Kennedy's campaign for most of the year, met Durkin--one of the first senators to support his Massachusetts. counterpart's presidential bid--and was taken with his pith. She sits in a cluttered corner, making phone calls and taking notes on a makeshift desk of paper boxes. The state Durkin headquarters is a flurry of activity.

"Aren't you sick of doing this?" One Durkin volunteer carps to her neighbor while folding flyers.