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RALEIGH Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue took her campaign for governor onto the television airwaves Monday, focusing on her experience and upbringing in a one-minute spot.

She followed her chief Democratic rival, Treasurer Richard Moore , onto TV by one day.

Perdue's campaign spent about $250,000 to put the spot on the air for the coming week in the state's major media markets, including Greensboro, according to a spokesman.

Perdue and Moore anticipate maintaining TV advertising throughout the spring.

Visuals: The video starts by panning over old black-and-white photographs of Perdue's family, including one of her flashing a toothy grin as a child. It moves to color photos of Perdue in more contemporary settings. Next are video clips of Perdue, including several of the candidate talking to seniors and one of her walking and reviewing a document with colleagues. Both of those vignettes seem to be requisite parts of all commercials used to kick off campaigns. The final shot is a still photo of Perdue sitting at a desk, looking hard at work.

Script: "Bev Perdue. She grew up in a home filled with love and faith. And while neither of her parents finished high school, they taught her that with a good education, she could do anything.

"She became a teacher, went on to earn a Ph.D., and as a health care administrator provided vital services for seniors. Helping others gave Bev a mission in life, here in North Carolina, shaping the future.

"A state representative, a state senator, lieutenant governor, leading the fight for Smart Start and helping to create a North Carolina prescription drug plan called the best in the nation.

"Because of Bev, teachers have higher salaries, 115,000 uninsured kids have health care. And military bases across North Carolina were saved from closure because one little girl grew up believing she could do anything. And as governor, Bev Perdue will do what it takes to get it done."

Analysis: Perdue's first ad emphasizes her background, touting her upbringing and the work she did as a state legislator. Nearly the only forward-looking statement in the commercial is "And as governor, Bev Perdue will do what it takes to get it done."

That's a contrast to State Treasurer Richard Moore, who spent most of his first commercial talking about programs and proposals he would like to tackle while in office.

The claims: Perdue takes credit in the ad on four major policy items: helping to keep military bases open, "leading the fight" for Smart Start, raising teacher salaries and providing health insurance for 115,000 children.

The claim regarding military bases is fair, although it neglects to spread credit to other players, such as U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a Republican. Perdue led the state's efforts to make sure the so-called BRAC process did not hurt North Carolina and has been visible on the issue. Making North Carolina "the most military-friendly state in the nation" has been a mantra of her time in office.

Two other claims are largely valid. Perdue was chairwoman of the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund when it agreed to help pay for a new prescription drug plan for seniors.

And as a budget co-chairwoman in the state Senate, Perdue helped construct several budgets that raised teacher pay.

However, North Carolina's Smart Start program was, is and forever will be viewed as the signature policy of former Gov. Jim Hunt, who pushed funding for the program beginning in 1992 and throughout his second administration.

Although Perdue was chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee at the time Smart Start was created, Hunt by all contemporary accounts led the fight. It's fair to say in succeeding years that Perdue, as a budget co-chairwoman, helped secure more funding for it particularly in 1995, when a Republican-controlled House would have frozen its budget.

Contact Mark Binker at (919) 832-5549 or mark.binker@news-record.com