Obama Names Kaine DNC Chairman

GOV. TIM KAINE (D-VA.): Well, thank you, President-elect Obama. It is such a treat to be here today and accept this honor.

I will say about you, that you proved to me in this discussion what you proved to Americans on November 4, that you are a very persuasive individual. And I am -- I'm thrilled to accept the opportunity and humbled, as well.

I signed on to Barack Obama's campaign for presidency in February of 2007, early, with a great deal of confidence in him as the person who should be the leader of what I believed would be a very challenging time for our nation that we're now in.

And I'm so proud of the campaign that he ran, the policies that he advocated, and proud of my native state of Virginia, which supported him in a very unusual way, after not having supported a Democratic candidate for 44 years.

I want to thank the president-elect for his confidence in me. I have been honored to serve 15 years in elected -- in elective office, entering my last year as governor of Virginia, and I pledge to do my very best to continue to keep his trust in this very important job.

I hope to do three things as DNC chair. I want to promote this president's agenda. I want to carry the proud banner of a proud party. And I want to work to creatively engage citizens in new ways through this party to be active in civic life.