Gibbs Pushes Back on Rumors Over DNC Ambitions

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs speaks at the daily news briefing at the White House Sept. 21. (AP Photo)

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs pushed back Monday on a report saying he was being considered for chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

"I'm happy doing what I'm doing," Gibbs said. "I haven't had any conversations about it. ... I love my job."

Politico.com reported over the weekend that party "insiders" were talking to donors about the idea of Gibbs taking over at the DNC and that, according to those involved, the response was positive. Under the scenario, sitting DNC Chairman Tim Kaine would move to a top post in the Obama administration. One official said the change-up would give President Obama a "great partisan fighter" at the top of the party.

But Gibbs and other Democratic sources downplayed the speculation. One senior source told Fox News he had not heard of these discussions.

Gibbs praised Kaine Monday and earlier took to Twitter to dismiss the claims.

"I have not had any conversations about the future -- it is a great honor to have the job I have right now and I am very happy doing it," he tweeted.

Another source called the story a "trial balloon" -- but the conventional wisdom is that Gibbs, should he leave his post as press secretary, would ascend to a White House senior adviser role sometime next year, probably when adviser David Axelrod leaves to work on Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.

Former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino told Fox News that being asked to perform in a role as a key trusted adviser, which Gibbs already is to the president, is is no way a demotion, even if it means moving out of the Oval Office.

"They definitely need to regroup and I think that some of the talk you're hearing is just a
little bit of figuring out who would be best placed in in order to help him govern in the same
way," Perino said. "Robert Gibbs is a very trusted adviser of President Obama and if he wants someone he can trust that he thinks will be effective, that could be a good position for him."

The source referring to Gibbs' move noted significant buzz brewing around Gibbs' deputy, Bill Burton, as a possible replacement to Gibbs. One selling point, the source said, is that Burton would be the first black White House press secretary.