Associated Press

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine was the first governor outside Barack Obama's home state to endorse him, and some speculation remains that he could land a job in an Obama administration.

RICHMOND -- After weeks of suspense and persistent questions, Gov. Tim Kaine could breathe a sigh of relief Saturday.

Sen. Barack Obama did not choose Virginia's governor to be the Democratic Party's vice presidential candidate, opting instead to put veteran Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware on the ticket.

But Kaine was among a handful of Democrats seriously considered for the role, putting him in the middle of a national media frenzy that reached a fever pitch by Friday night, when it became clear that he was not Obama's choice.

"It has been surreal and kind of a beyond-your-wildest-dreams experience to be mentioned," Kaine said Saturday in a conference call from Denver, site of the Democratic National Convention.

"I have a mixture of feelings," Kaine said. "I tell you I'm going to have a lot more fun this week than otherwise might have been the case. But it's been exciting."

Kaine would not say how or precisely when he was informed that Obama would not select him as his running mate, sticking to his long-held policy of not discussing his conversations with the campaign. He called Obama's selection of Biden "a great choice."

"He's a man who's a person of great heart, which is apparent in everything he's done," Kaine said of Biden.

Kaine was the first governor from outside Obama's home state to endorse the Illinois senator and is a national co-chairman of Obama's campaign. He has been a high-profile surrogate for Obama in recent weeks, fueling speculation that he could end up on the ticket. But Kaine insisted Saturday that he never sought the vice-presidential slot and never lobbied for it.

Some Virginia Republicans have accused the governor of letting national political ambitions distract him from his job. Kaine acknowledged that speculation about his vice-presidential prospects created pressure but said he has remained focused on running the state. He told lawmakers last week that sluggish revenue growth likely will require deep cuts to the state's two-year, $77 billion budget, and he already has imposed restrictions on government spending and hiring.

"The uncertainty of it all is a bit challenging, but we've continued to work hard on the matters that are important to Virginia," Kaine said.

Kaine's term expires in 2010, but his rising national profile also has fueled speculation that he could land a job in Obama's administration if the Democrat wins the Nov. 4 election. When asked about that possibility Saturday, Kaine said: "It is my complete intention to be governor through January of 2010, and I see no circumstance under which that's not going to happen."

Kaine said the Democratic ticket has a strong chance to win Virginia's 13 electoral votes. Republicans have carried Virginia in the last 10 presidential elections, but recent polls have the race between Obama and Republican John McCain in a statistical dead heat. Obama made a two-day campaign swing through Virginia last week that included stops in Martinsville and Lynchburg. He also campaigned with Kaine in Chesterfield County.

McCain's campaign considers Virginia a battleground state and moved quickly Saturday to depict the newly completed Democratic ticket as too liberal for the Old Dominion. McCain's campaign released statements from prominent Virginia Republicans panning Obama's selection of Biden as a running mate.

"This is a ticket that believes in higher taxes, more government, inaction in the face of rising energy prices and that fundamentally fails to understand the true nature of the enemies we face abroad," said Attorney General Bob McDonnell, an honorary state chairman of McCain's Virginia campaign.

Kaine said that Democrats will benefit from a strong desire for change and that McCain would continue policies initiated by President Bush.

"Do you think we need to go in the same direction the nation's been going or do you think we need to go in a different direction?" Kaine asked. "Maybe those with many houses or those who make $5 million a year have been making a lot of progress, but average Americans have been hurt and hurt bad and they need a change in direction."

Kaine traveled to Denver on Friday with his wife, Anne Holton, and their three children. Kaine said Saturday that his family handled the recent weeks of intense scrutiny "with grace and humor." The governor said he planned to enjoy time with his family this week before his oldest son, Nat, starts college the following week at George Washington University.

"They've got a good sense of humor about it," Kaine said. "My wife reminded me that I had already been elected to the highest office in the land -- her husband. So that was a good thing to be reminded of."