BOSTON -- Sen. John Kerry will file the legal papers this week to form an exploratory committee so he can openly raise money and campaign for the presidency.

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Kerry Ready For Presidential Run Talk About Kerry's Performance As Senator KERRY'S BIO NAME: John Forbes Kerry. AGE-BIRTH DATE: 58; Dec. 11, 1943. EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, Yale University, 1966; law degree, Boston College, 1976. EXPERIENCE: Navy officer, awarded Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat "V," three Purple Hearts for Vietnam War service, 1966-70; spokesman, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, 1971; Middlesex County, Mass., prosecutor, 1976-78; lawyer in private practice, 1979-1982; Massachusetts lieutenant governor, 1983-85; U.S. Senate, 1985-present. FAMILY: Wife, Teresa Heinz; two children, three stepchildren. QUOTE: "What people care about is who you are, what you care about, and what you fight for."

Kerry said that he doesn't want this campaign to be a struggle over the politics of destruction and personalities, but he's clearly expects a tough fight.

NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu reported that Kerry won't make a final decision until next spring, but there's no doubt he's joining the Massachusetts ranks of Sen. Ted Kennedy, Michael Dukakis and Paul Tsongas.

He's 58 years old, and Kerry claims he's not the same liberal northeast politician that Massachusetts has offered in past presidential campaigns.

"I served my country in war. I think that is a well-known record today. I also served my county after the war in trying to end it," Kerry said.

That will be Kerry's main calling card as he moves through the country over the next year introducing himself to middle America. With $3 million already in the bank and a rich spouse at his side, Kerry also has his sound bytes ready for the Republicans who he knows will come after him.

"I am tired of the politics of lowest common denominator, or wedge politics. I believe that this country deserves a better discussion about how we help people," Kerry said.

Kerry called President George W, Bush a likeable fellow with no vision.

"I think we need a presidency that sees the problems -- not down the road -- but today and responds immediately to those needs," Kerry said.

He claims the president's weakest link is his policy on Iraq.

"I believe we have a stronger and better hand to play for this nation. I think we can make our citizens more secure. I think we need a new foreign policy that reaches out to people and makes friends, not just flexes our muscles," Kerry said.

Of Kerry's potential democratic opponents, Al Gore won't decide until next year, and Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is the only other declared candidate.

Connecticut Sen. Joe Liebermann, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, Senate leader Tom Daschle and House leader Richard Gephardt are still sitting on the sidelines.

Kerry is hoping his early entry will give him a fund-raising advantage.

"John Kerry coming out fast, coming out first, raising the money and then being in Massachusetts certainly helps in New Hampshire," political anaylst Mary Ann Marsh said.

"It's too early to predict whether announcing early or raising money early gives you an advantage," Michigan Sen. Carl Levin said.

On Tuesday, Kerry heads for Ohio -- one of the key swing states in presidential elections -- to convince voters he's not the same Northeast liberal they've seen in the past.

He'll offer an economic plan that moves Bush's long-term tax breaks for the wealthy to immediate tax cuts for the middle class. Kerry will also talk about spending cuts and extending unemployment benefits -- hoping to paint himself as a political centrist, Wu reported.

Where Senator John Kerry stands on some issues, from an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday:

Iraq: Kerry would back war only if President Bush provides evidence of an "imminent threat," and the senator says he opposes unilateral acts. Kerry says he has met with the members of the U.N. Security Council and believes they would support U.S. action should Iraqi President Saddam Hussein significantly breach U.N. resolutions.

Terrorism: Kerry says significant elements of the security infrastructure are underfunded, including police and fire departments, hospitals, port security and the Coast Guard. He says the person in charge of homeland security needs broad budgetary discretion. Kerry says the Bush administration's creation of the Cabinet department is a year late. He would make the smallpox vaccine available to all Americans.

He also says former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, named last week to head an investigation into the events leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks, should drop lucrative foreign and domestic consulting deals.

Middle East: Kerry believes the administration has not been involved enough in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While he does not believe Israel should make any concessions without reciprocity, he believes Bush has abandoned the "honest broker" status of his predecessors, ignoring the plight of the Palestinians and not making it clear to Israel that it will eventually have to give up settlements. He would not count out including Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat -- branded by Bush as "irrelevant" -- in negotiations.

Taxes: Kerry opposes any of the tax cuts proposed by Bush, saying they favor the rich while ignoring severe underfunding for schools, transportation and security. He supports payroll tax cuts favoring the working and middle classes.

Education: Kerry opposes school vouchers, saying they gloss over a crisis in the schools. He says the gap between suburban and urban schools is "separate and unequal" and more insidious than segregation was in its day. He backs increased flexibility for school administrators to dismiss teachers.

Death penalty: Kerry opposes the death penalty, except for terrorists.