Putting his stamp on the Democratic Party, President-elect Barack Obama handed his party chairmanship to Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, a friend and ally who was the first governor outside Illinois to endorse him.

The two appeared together at a brief press conference at the DNC headquarters near Capitol Hill. Absent was the outgoing party chair, Howard Dean, who both men praised for laying the groundwork for the party's successes.

"Howard deserves enormous credit for helping usher in a new era in Washington," Obama said. "Now's the time not only to build on Howard's record of achievement, but to remake the Democratic Party to meet the challenges of the 21st century."

Even in choosing Kaine to be the partisan-in-chief, the president-elect highlighted his bipartisan record. Obama said that as the governor of a state "that reflects America," Kaine had been successful "not by appealing to our divisions, but by appealing to our common hopes. "

"Tim knows that breaking free of the old orthodoxies and reaching across party lines isn't just a way build a Democratic Party that's more open and inclusive. It's a way to achieve progress for all Americans," he said. "He understands that while politics is tough, and we need to fight hard for our ideals and our values, we also need to work together to solve our common problems."

Kaine thanked Obama for the selection, calling him a "very persuasive individual." As chairman, he said he would focus on three goals: promoting Obama's agenda, carrying "the proud banner of a proud party," and working to "engage citizens to be active in civic life."

"We have made the party in Virginia working every day a party of problem solvers," he said. "We're not the ideologues, the obstructionists, the gridlock folks. ... And we're not the dividers. We've rejected the politics of negativity, the politics that often energizes the 51 percent by beating up on the 49 percent."

Kaine, who is prohibited by Virginia law from serving a second consecutive term, has one year remaining in office. He'll serve as a part-time chairman until he leaves office. Since becoming governor in 2005, Virginia Democrats have won two U.S. Senate elections, a majority of the U.S. House seats and taken control of the state Senate.

The smooth transition in the Democratic Party stands in contrast to a tough fight for the top political post in the GOP. Republicans will choose from a crowded field during their winter meeting at the end of January.