KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Democrat John Kerry's commercials started airing in Kansas City early Wednesday morning.

KMBC's Micheal Mahoney reported that Kerry's commercials try to do two things: introduce himself to Missouri voters as a veteran and war hero and describe his positions in very broad terms.

Kerry was a Navy lieutenant during the Vietnam War. One commercial features a shipmate praising his leadership. It was after his service that Kerry first hit the spotlight as leader of the anti-Vietnam movement in 1971. He made news when he threw away his ribbons -- three Purple Hearts and a Silver Star -- to protest the war.

Kerry said that he kept the actual medals because he is proud of his service.

In the commercial, Kerry says, "It's right to guarantee health care."

But he voted against the 2003 medical bill saying that it would do more harm than good for America's seniors. Kerry favors reimportation of drugs from Canada and easing regulations to increase the number of cheaper generic drugs.

"It's right to roll back the Bush tax cut for the wealthy," Kerry says in the campaign ad.

Mahoney said that Kerry is talking about Americans making over $200,000 a year. He favors keeping the Bush tax cuts for middle-class Missourians.

"And invest in our kids," Kerry's ad says.

That includes a tax credit for the first $4,000 of tuition at public colleges and universities, offering the equivalent of four years of tuition at a public college or university in return for two years of what Kerry calls public service, Mahoney reported.

Kerry opposes federally funded vouchers for parents to send their children to private schools.

Missouri's presidential primary is Feb. 3.