Kaine says he'll keep DNC chairmanship

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine says he'll stay put as the party's leader for another two years because that's what U.S. President Obama wants.

Obama tapped the former governor of Virginia in January 2009 to lead the DNC. Late last year, it was reported that Democratic leaders were floating the possibility of White House press secretary Robert Gibbs taking over the DNC chairmanship with Kaine possibly moving into a Cabinet position, The Washington Post reported Monday.

"My agreement with the president is I was going to do what he wants me to do," Kaine said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." "And what I know sitting here today is he wants me to continue in this spot and that's what I'm going to do with excitement, you know, traveling all around the country, going through the TSA lines like everybody else, going out and being the president's advocate and promoter."

The Republican National Committee is scheduled to elect its next chairman later in January. Five candidates have announced bids to unseat RNC Chairman Michael Steele.