Former Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi has signed on as Senior Advisor to the John Edwards campaign. Here's the complete text of his announcement from Edwards' site:

I really thought that the 2004 presidential campaign would be the last I would be involved in. I have always wanted to make a difference, but for me I thought those days were over.

A few weeks ago, John and Elizabeth Edwards made their decision to continue, not just John Edwards' campaign for President, but their work together to make a difference for their country.

And that made me realize that I wasn't done trying to make a difference either. Not by a long shot. So today I am joining the John Edwards campaign.

Too much is at stake. The war in Iraq continues, and more of our troops will lose their lives. Working Americans are losing ground. Poverty continues in the wealthiest nation on the planet. And nearly nothing is really being done to reduce global warming.

John Edwards is leading the way and making a difference on all of these issues. He's offering big ideas backed by real plans to change our country. And so his campaign is the place where I will work to make whatever difference I can.

Lets make a difference together, for each other, and for our country. Too much is at stake to give anything less than everything we've got.

This is big news.

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The Hotline has more on the development, including statements from manager David Bonior and deputy manager Jonathan Prince:

Bonior:

"We couldn't be more excited to have Joe join our team. He's creative, passionate, committed and shares John Edwards' vision of an America that works for all of us."

Prince said,

"Joe is a true believer who has never been the kind of guy who sits around and waits for somebody else to bring about the change he believes we need. And that's what our campaign is about. That's the challenge John and Elizabeth have laid before all of us. I'm glad Joe Trippi is one of those who's ready to take it up."

David Weinberger:

I've been doing some volunteer work for that campaign. Having Trippi on board makes me very happy. If you want to know why, read Trippi's book, The Revolution Will Not be Televised. Joe understands the transformative power of the Net, he understands that it's about we the people connecting and taking democracy into our own hands, and he is an inspiring — and yes, sometimes maddening — leader.Trippi and the team he assembled invented a lot of what's most important in the Internetting of politics. He's got a ton of feet-on-the-ground experience in politics, but I'm betting he's not anywhere near done innovating. Trippi's an idealist who kicks butt. And that's just what the Edwards campaign needs now, imo. ...

I think this is a very good day for the Edwards' campaign. And that means it's a day in which our democracy has gotten a little more lively.