Va. governor endorses Obama

RICHMOND, Va. -- Gov. Timothy M. Kaine endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign Saturday within sight of the former Confederate Capitol.

Obama, a Democrat, became the first declared presidential candidate to pocket the support of a sitting governor for the election still 21 months away.

"Here we are in what was the heart of the Confederacy, and for me to be able to stand here as an African-American reflects the enormous progress that this country has made and to some degree I think represents not the perfection of the union but a whole lot of progress," Obama said at a news conference with Kaine outside Virginia's Executive Mansion.

The mansion sits about 100 yards from the state Capitol, which is where the Confederate Congress met.