Obama Announces Kaine to Head DNC

The president-elect taps the Virginia governor at an afternoon presser at the party's offices in D.C. Neither take questions from reporters. Obama says they share a "pragmatic progressive" philosophy. Read their full comments. Obama also praises outgoing chair Dean, says he "deserves enormous credit for helping usher in a new era in Washington." But: Politico reports that "the conspicuous absence of Howard Dean ... was no accident."