Senator Barack Obama spoke to about 600 paying guests at a fundraising reception in downtown Jacksonville, where attendees paid between $500 and $2,300 to Barack Obama for America. The Illinois senator spoke for about twenty minutes to his devotees, and noted the clear choice this November on issues surrounding the economy, health care, the war, and overall philosophy.

“Most of all we can choose between hope and fear. It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy. We know what kind of campaign they’re going to run. They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me,” Obama said, just one day after he he told reporters that Republican 527 groups will emerge this election and run negative ads during the election.

Obama continued that the Republicans’ message would invoke the Democrat’s race. “He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black? He’s got a feisty wife,” Obama told the crowd, which cheered.

“We know the strategy because they’ve already shown their cards. Ultimately I think the American people recognize that old stuff hasn’t moved us forward. That old stuff just divides us,” he said.

Listen to audio from that fundraiser here:

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Cincinnati, OH — Though he vowed that attacks on Sen. Barack Obama’s background like the one that took place today “will never happen again,” Sen. John McCain acknowledged late Tuesday that he is concerned that he may be unable to control all of his supporters—especially third party groups.

At a rally in Cincinnati this morning, radio talk show host Bill Cunningham referenced Obama’s middle name, Hussein, three times during his on-stage introduction, in addition to attacking the Democrat as a “hack.” McCain immediately denounced the remarks and promised a civil debate with the eventual Democratic nominee, but acknowledged to reporters aboard his bus that conservative independent groups pursuing a similar line could be impossible to control this fall.

“I think you have to worry about that, particularly the 527s,” McCain said, referring to the independent advocacy groups that are not subject to contributor limits. “We’re aware of many of the things that 527s have done…where unlimited amounts of money can pour into negative campaigns such as we saw against John Kerry and his combat record, as we saw against (former Senator) Max Cleland…they’re really very not accountable to anyone. At least I have to say ‘I’m John McCain and I approve this message.’”

A number of conservative talk show hosts have questioned Obama’s patriotism and allude to his Muslim family background by calling him Barack Hussein Obama in order to paint him as a type of Manchurian candidate. It is entirely possible that an independent group could push that issue against Obama in the fall.

Some critics blame his signature McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation for the explosion of uncontrolled 527 groups. But, McCain said his bill is not the problem, arguing that 527 groups were able to sprout up as a result of loophole in a 1974 campaign finance law.

But, back to talking about what is under his control—McCain said he would do his best to prevent dirty politicking by his campaign and surrogates.

“The moral of the story is we just have to have stronger control of our campaign..there is no excuse for what happened today,” he said, adding that his campaign has plans to expand it’s bare bones staff.

Democrats (and perhaps many Republicans) have a disdain for 527 groups’ involvement in politics since the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ad effectively took out John Kerry’s chances in 2004. It’s come to be somewhat of a dirty word to Democrats - and there could be no worse accusation than being affiliated with one. So when Barack Obama accused Edwards of being cozy with one today, it caused a ripple.

At a town hall in Oskaloosa, Iowa, Obama was asked about the differences between himself and Senator Edwards. A perfect set up for the latest Obama hit on John Edwards - “John yesterday said that he didn’t believe in 527s,” Obama said, referring to an Associated Press article. “He said he’s opposed to them - we found out today that there is an outside group spending $750,000, just bought three quarters of a million dollars worth of television time, and the individucal who’s running the group used to be John Edwards’ campaign manager, so you can’t say yesterday you don’t believe in ‘em and today you have three quarters of a million dollars being spent for you. You can’t just talk the talk.” he said.

The campaign quickly emailed a transcript of Obama’s Edwards comments to the traveling press, and later, they distributed the details of the television ad buys purchased by Alliance for a New America, a 527 created by SEIU affiliates. The ads, totaling $769,610, will begin airing in six Iowa television markets the day after Christmas. The Obama campaign does not know what the ads will say, but say their campaign has not been affiliated with a 527 group.

At a retail stop in near-by Pleasantville, Obama ordered a cup of tea and a slice of pumpkin pie and told the press, “One of the things that’s really important to the people of Iowa is that there’s gotta be follow through. We are delivering change; not just talking about it.”

Before the start of Obama’s next event, the Edwards camp had responded with a written statement from John Edwards. “Senator Obama’s attacks seem to increase as momentum for our campaign grows,” it read. Edwards upheld his claim that he is the only candidate in this race who has “never taken a dime of PAC or Washington lobbyist money,” and acknowledged, “As for outside groups, unfortunately, you can’t control them, but let me make it clear - i think money has corrputed our politics and these groups should not be a part of the political process.”

The Obama campaign called on Edwards to to “call on his former advisor to stop this effort.” Edwards did just that, and when asked about it after an event in Winterset, Obama exclaimed, “great.” He explained, “I think not only, since he has such a good relationship with the person who runs it, I suspect that he should be able to get it done.”