First and foremost, I’m not here to judge John Edwards. Wrong is wrong, but I don’t sleep with John, Elizabeth or someone with an uncontrolled ego or cancer. I’m here to stake my claim on the historic contributions offered through John Edwards and the populist message that won for the Democrats. I provided that message and I can prove it.

Let me take this opportunity to thank anyone and everyone who took the time to listen inside the Democratic Party mechanism. As one of the “Little People” they so often credited, it is an honor to know the power of one and the ability to change the game. Although many will disagree with my claims, no one will be able to match them. I am “The Democratic Karl Rove.”

Where do I begin? “We Can” was the “Winning Message” I offered to the DNC during the 2004 election cycle. Democrats kept losing because we had a tendency to offer “The Message of the Day.” We’d offer one theme after another spinning our wheels confronting the GOP’s message of smaller taxes, endless war, limited diversity and greed. “We Can” was embraced by Sen. Ted Kennedy and credited to Cesar Chavez. “We Can” was turned into “Si Su Pueda.” DNC Chairman Howard Dean used it in his 50 State Strategy. Clearly we won nationwide with hope, optimism, and unity of party and message.

The key endorsement of the Obama campaign was without a doubt Oprah Winfrey. I produced a cable radio show targeted at the Young Democrats and Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Group where I offered Hip Hop and Centrist politics. I am “The Quasi-Liberal.” I provided strategic political advice on the air and in print during the 2004 election. I supported John Edwards as my surprise VP selection and we shocked the establishment. Why would the Democrats in power listen to me?

My contributions to the party go back further than 2004. My contributions go back to the Clinton impeachment. I led the drive to impeach Bill Clinton. Some would say this was a “Childish Thing” but political parties are teams. If a man falls, the team must rise to replace him or suffer a collective beating. I urged Democrats to stand for something, but we lacked the courage to stand up for former VP Al Gore. The Supreme Court ruled and we made history. The top Democratic strategists sat out and handed the White House keys to President Bush. I served as “Gore’s Secret Internet Advisor.”

In the 2000 campaign, I offered Sen. Paul Wellstone as my VP selection. That could have been the “Game Changer” because Wellstone represented some key states and he was a far better partner than “Sen. Loserman.” The party didn’t listen, but we all painfully watched as America counted and recounted the vote. The Supreme Court made it’s selection and I went underground to Las Vegas. Former VP Gore grew a beard. I don’t know what happened to all my e-mail and fax transmissions? They are probably classified “Double Top Secret.”

In hindsight, I think this paper trail is enough to establish my claim to being “The Democratic Karl Rove.” Impeaching a popular president for having sex could be viewed as a “Childish Thing” or a “Petty Grievance” but there is more. I served honorably as “The top enlisted Blood Bank Specialist.” It was once my honor to prepare blood for the President during his travels. I lost my job twice and that’s when I turned to politics. By the grace of God people listened and we made history.

Clearly, what I have offered is enough to establish a claim, but only one can claim to be “The One.” I offered Sen. Joe Biden as my VP selection for President Obama. Somebody listened and we won. We made history electing the first Black President. It couldn’t have been done with a strong team capable of spinning internally and externally. I did some “Childish Things” and the Obama team addressed these deeds in code. The populist message won a Nobel Prize, but he didn’t get the Olympics. The Democrats haven’t won an election since he was elected.

In closing, I feel John Edwards’ pain and Elizabeth’s. Cancer is a slow, painful, and lonely struggle where death usually prevails. I love them because they fought for us. It is not my choice to judge them because my mother too died from cancer too. My father did some ugly things, but with time I learned to forgive them both. Their marriage worked and who has the right to come between a man and wife? Elizabeth choose to leave and I wish them and their family well. As for me, who else could or would tell this story? Who could layout the blueprint for the Democrat’s historical success? We impeached Clinton causing an internal divide almost impossible to overcome. We tried winning with Gore and just missed. Sen. Kerry reported for duty with Edwards, but Bush was re-selected by Ohio without Rep. Trafficant. We needed hope and change to provide a vision that unified the party. Edwards proved he was not the man. The Party gave Obama the keynote address and the populist message. Campaign finance changed and that’s when I knew “We Can.” We won, but the party isn’t listening anymore. They should because “Yes, I did do all this.” By the grace of God, I am the Democratic Karl Rove. Check the record? The work is in the can because “I get it.”