The Note's Must-Reads for Friday, January 9, 2009

January 09, 2009 5:48 AM

Compiled by ABC News’ PETER MARTINEZ, CARRIE HALPERIN, KRISTEN RED-HORSE, LAURA GREENE, JAYCE HENDERSON and JUSTIN GRANT

ABC News Exclusive Interview with President-Elect Obama and George Stephanopoulos: This Sunday morning. LINK

Send In your questions: LINK

2009: ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

"Obama Officially Elected President" LINK

"Will Obama's Economic Plan Pass?" LINK

"Tapper on Obama's 'Whole New Approach'" LINK

"Obama Names Kaine as DNC Chair" LINK

"Burris Edges Closer to Senate Seat" LINK

"Why Isn't Madoff in Jail?" LINK

"50 States, 50 Jobs" LINK

"Obama Is the Flavor of the Month" LINK

2009: CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

ABC News Nightline: "Closing Arguments: U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution" LINK

As Seen On TV: Donate to Children in Gaza: LINK

ABC News' Aaron Katersky, Ayana Harry, Miguel Marquez and Simon McGregor-Wood: "U.N. Approves Gaza Cease-Fire Plan" LINK

The Associated Press' Matti Friedman and Ibrahim Barzak: "Gaza Violence Rages on Despite UN Cease-Fire Call" LINK

Bloomberg’s Calev Ben-David and Bill Varner: “Israel Presses Gaza Offensive as UN Calls for Truce” LINK

Boston Herald Op-Ed by Charles Krauthammer: “Give peace chance by toppling Hamas” LINK

Boston Globe Editorial: “The needless Gaza tragedy” LINK

The New York Times' Ethan Bronner: "U.N. and Red Cross Add to Outcry on Gaza War" LINK

The Washington Post's Griff Witte and Colum Lynch: "As U.S. Abstains, U.N. Security Council Calls for Cease-Fire" LINK

2009: FORMER ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL ROLAND BURRIS:

ABC News' Matthew Jaffe, Kate Barrett and Chris Bury: "Burris Testifies Amid Illinois Governor Impeachment Moves" LINK

Newsweek Magazine’s Dirk Johnson: “No Rubber Stamp: Who is the man who refused to certify Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appointee to the U.S. Senate? Meet Jesse White” LINK

The Washington Times’ Editorial Staff: “Outwitting Harry Reid” LINK

2009: GOVERNOR ROD BLAGOJEVICH:

The Wall Street Journal’s Douglas Belkin, Lauren Etter and David Kesmodel: “Illinois Panel Recommends Impeachment” LINK

Bloomberg Commentary by Ann Woolner: “Blagojevich Is Right on Law, With Burris at Least” LINK

The Boston Globe Wire Services: “Impeach governor, Ill. panel urges” LINK

The New York Times' Susan Saulny and Malcolm Gay: "Panel Recommends Impeaching Blagojevich" LINK

2009: NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON:

The New York Times' Mary Williams Walsh: "Nationwide Inquiry on Bids for Municipal Bonds" LINK

2009: PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE WHITE HOUSE TRANSITION:

ABC News' Special Index for the 44th President: LINK

ABC News' Teddy Davis: "Obama Dubs Himself a 'Pragmatic Progressive'" LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper: "Obama Formally Announces Tim Kaine as DNC Chairman" LINK

USA Today's Peter Eisler: "Obama's choice of Blair as intelligence czar covers bases" LINK

The Hill's Alexander Bolton: "Dems and Obama Split on Taxes" LINK

The Hill's Ian Swanson: "There Could Be Big Bucks in Barack’s Campaign Logo" LINK

The Hill's J. Molly K. Hooper: "Conyers’s Opposition to Gupta Is Connected to Michael Moore" LINK

The Hill's J. Sam Youngman: "Obama Mixes Some Fear into His Rhetoric" LINK

Politico's Jeanne Cummings: "Obama Finds Opportunity in Crisis" LINK

Politico's David Rogers: "Doubts Arise over Obama Stimulus Plan" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Peter Nicholas: "Obama Puts His Trust In Government" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Janet Hook: "Congress Makes It Official For Obama" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Deborah Solomon: “Geithner's Track Record Cuts Two Ways” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jane Zhang: “Daschle Says U.S. Needs Health-Care Overhaul” LINK

The Boston Herald Editorial Staff: “Barack Obama on right track” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Brian C. Mooney: “Harvard's Sunstein to oversee regulation” LINK

Newsweek Magazine’s Evan Thomas and Newsweek Staff: “An Interview with Barack Obama” LINK

The Washington Times’ Christina Bellantoni: “Kaine to aid Obama as DNC chairman” LINK

The Washington Times’ Abdoulaye Wade: “Sharing the dream: The President of Senegal to President-elect Obama” LINK

The New York Daily News' Michael Mcauliff: "Obama speech issues dire warning on economy" LINK

The New York Daily News' Steve Liesman: "Obama's stimulus plan is all about survival" LINK

The New York Times' Peter Baker and David M. Herszenhorn: "Senate Allies Fault Obama On Stimulus" LINK

The New York Times' Mary Williams Walsh: "Nationwide Inquiry on Bids for Municipal Bonds" LINK

The New York Times' Mark Mazzetti: "A Difficult Road Awaits Panetta at the C.I.A." LINK

The New York Times' Cornelia Dean and William J. Broad: "Obama Is Urged to Open High-Tech Exports" LINK

The Washington Post's Jeffrey R. Smith: "Obama Taps CIA Veteran as Adviser on Terror" LINK

The Washington Post's Alec MacGillis: "Troubles in Service Workers' Union May Dim Hopes for Labor" LINK

2009: PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE INAUGURATION:

USA Today's Thomas Frank and Kevin Johnson: "D.C. subway braces for Inauguration Day crush" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Christopher Cooper and Brody Mullins: “Wall Street Is Big Donor to Inauguration” LINK

The Washington Post's Eric M. Weiss and Brigid Schulte: "Virginians See Bridge Closings As Dose of Northern Hospitality" LINK

2009: PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE ECONOMY:

ABC News' Jake Tapper: "Senate Dems Question Obama Tax Cuts" LINK

USA Today's Douglas Stanglin: "Obama calls for bold new economic course" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Weisman and Greg Hitt: “Obama Seeks Fast Action on Plan” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Op-Ed by Scot Lehigh: “Obama's misguided tax cut plan” LINK

The Boston Herald’s Jay Fitzgerald: “Economic plan hit: Critics eye $800B price, seek details” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Susan Milligan: “Obama prods Congress on economy” LINK

Bloomberg’s Hans Nichols and Lorraine Woellert: “Obama Uses Campaign Tactics to Sell Stimulus Plan to Congress” LINK

The Wall Street Journal Capitol Journal: “Business Warms to Obama, but Frictions Loom on Climate” LINK

Time Magazine’s Jay Newton-Small: “Obama's Stimulus: Jump-Starting His Long-Term Agenda” LINK

The Washington Times’ Stephen Dinan and S.A. Miller: “Obama: U.S. to weaken without stimulus” LINK

2009: VICE-PRESIDENT ELECT JOE BIDEN:

ABC News' Jake Tapper: "As-salaam Alaykum: VP-Elect/Sen. Biden Lands in Kuwait" LINK

2009: BERNARD MADOFF SCAM:

ABC News' Maddy Sauer, Jerika Richardson and Richard Esposito: "Feds: Madoff Had Millions in Checks Ready to Go Out" LINK

Bloomberg’s By Peter Robison, Janet Frankston Lorin and Joshua Fineman: “Merkin Intimidated Co-Op Board While Building Funds Madoff Lost” LINK

Bloomberg’s Stephanie Baker and Tom Cahill: “Uma Thurman No Help to Arpad Busson in Madoff Fraud’s Nightmare” LINK

Bloomberg’s Tom Moroney, John Lauerman and Brian K. Sullivan: “Madoff Con Hits Boston, Home to Victim Shapiro, Ponzi” LINK

Bloomberg Commentary by William Pesek: “China Risks the Madoff Treatment From Treasuries” LINK

The Boston Herald Wire Service: “Feds: Bernard Madoff wrote $173M in checks” LINK

2009: AUTO INDUSTRY:

ABC News' Jake Tapper: "Wall Street Titan Emerges as Leading Candidate for 'Car Czar'" LINK

2009: ECONOMY:

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf: "Cramdown! Senators Announce Deal with Lender on Bankruptcy Restructure" LINK

ABC News' John Berman and Sarah Rosenberg: "Hamburger Helper: Is 2009 the Year of the Burger?" LINK

ABC News Column by Michelle Goodman: "As Workers Get Ax, Friendships Also Cut" LINK

The Associated Press' Anne D'Innocenzio: "Stores' Dismal December Means Prices Should Fall" LINK

The Associated Press' Stephen Ohlemacher: "Democrats Criticize Obama's Proposed Tax Cuts" LINK

USA Today's Wendy Koch: "New homes being built smaller" LINK

USA Today's Julie Schmit and Stephanie Armour: "Citigroup supports bill for mortgage relief to debtors" LINK

USA Today's Jayne O'Donnell: "December was a cold month for retail sales" LINK

Politico's Victoria McGrane: "Boost For Bankruptcy Bill As Citi Backs" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Elizabeth Williamson and Ruth Simon: “Plan to Cut Foreclosure Rate Clears Key Hurdle” LINK

Bloomberg’s Mark Pittman: “Paulson Bailout Didn’t Give Taxpayers What Goldman Gave Buffett” LINK

Bloomberg’s Shobhana Chandra: “U.S. Job-Market Collapse in 2008 was Probably Biggest Since ’45” LINK

The Washington Times’ Patrice Hill: “Recession stole Christmas jobs, sales” LINK

The Associated Press: "Online sales fall 3% during holiday season" LINK

The New York Times' Tara Siegel Bernard: "Average Mortgage Rate Hits 5%, Lowest in Decades" LINK

The New York Times' Lynnley Browning: "Pressured by I.R.S., UBS Is Closing Secret Accounts" LINK

The New York Times' Stephanie Rosenbloom: "Holiday Sales Were Dismal, Data Shows" LINK

The Washington Post's David Cho: "Geithner Preparing Overhaul of Bailout" LINK

The Washington Post's Michael D. Shear and Michael A. Fletcher: "Obama Cites Grim Economy at Start, as Past Presidents Have" LINK

The Washington Post's Dina ElBoghdady: "Lenders Backlogged by Refinancing Rush" LINK

The Washington Post's Renae Merle and Lori Montgomery: "Citigroup Reaches Deal with Lawmakers on Home Loans" LINK

The Washington Post's Peter Whoriskey: "Teamsters Union Approves Wage Cuts for Truckers" LINK

The Washington Post's Dion Haynes and Howard Schneider: "A Brutal December for Retailers" LINK

2009: CAROLINE KENNEDY:

ABC News' Eloise Harper: "Paterson Acknowledges Kennedy Lacks Experience" LINK

The New York Daily News' Kenneth Lovett: Kennedy's inexperience weighs big on Gov's mind" LINK

2009: DEMOCRATS/GOP:

ABC News' Jonathan Karl: "(GOP) Change that’s Hard to Believe" LINK

Boston Herald Editorial by Wayne Woodlief: “Howard Dean: Revived an ailing Democratic Party” LINK

2009: CURRENT ADMINISTRATION:

ABC News' Teddy Davis: "Bush Regrets Timing of Immigration Push" LINK

The Associated Press Deb Riechmann: "Cheney: CIA Did Nothing Illegal in Interrogations" LINK

The Washington Post's Dan Eggen and Maria Glod: "Bush Praises Results of 'No Child' Law" LINK

2009: MUMBAI:

ABC News' Jason Ryan: "U.S. Officials: Mumbai a Turning Point in Terrorist Tactics" LINK

2009: SENATE:

The Hill's J. Taylor Rushing: "Kerry Says He’s Happy Where He Is" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Noam N. Levey: "Daschle Promises Bipartisan Healthcare Reform" LINK

The Washington Times’ Sean Lengell: “Daschle says health care system broken” LINK

2009: ENERGY and THE ENVIRONMENT:

Politico's Erika Lovley & Lisa Lerer: "Stimulus Showdown: Trees vs. Roads!" LINK

2009: SARAH PALIN:

The New York Daily News' David Saltonstall: "Palin declares class war on Kennedy, Fey and Couric" LINK

The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz: "Online, Sarah Palin Has Unkind Words for the Press" LINK

2009: OTHER MUST-READS:

ABC News' Jason Ryan, Rhonda Schwartz and Megan Chuchman: "Top al Qaeda Targets Reportedly Dead After U.S. Air Strike" LINK

The Associated Press Dina Cappiello: "Toxic Coal Ash Piling up in Ponds in 32 States" LINK

ABC News' Neal Karlinsky: "One Man, 50 Jobs, 50 States" LINK

ABC News' Sarah Netter: "Medical Expert Says Surgeon's Quest for Kidney Compensation Is 'Soap Opera'" LINK

The Associated Press' Pauline Jelinek: "Purple Heart Won't Be Awarded for PTSD" LINK

USA Today's Lea Ann Overstreet Allen and Clay Carey: "New rules on toys could spell doom" LINK

USA Today's Joan Biskupic: "Supreme Court considers challenge to Voting Rights Act" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Russell Gold and Ian Talley: “Exxon CEO Advocates Emissions Tax” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Alicia Mundy: “A Wolfe in Regulator's Clothing: Drug Industry Critic Joins the FDA” LINK

The Boston Herald’s Jerry Kronenberg: “Hub’s Fed chief: Deep recession confounds forecasts” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Stu Woo: “California's Plans to Close Gap Become More Drastic” LINK

The New York Daily News' Kenneth Bazinet: "Ted Kennedy presides over Daschle confirmation hearing" LINK

The New York Daily News' Michael Saul: "Bush and Sharpton in (unrequited) love-in" LINK

The New York Times' Brian Stelter: "Democrats Seek Delay in TV Shift" LINK

The New York Times' William Yardley: "Ex-Senator Ends Efforts to Withdraw Guilty Plea" LINK

The New York Times' Steven Greenhouse: "Bill Easing Unionizing Is Under Heavy Attack" LINK

The New York Times' Carl Hulse: "No Surprise in Electoral Tally" LINK

The New York Times' Robert Pear: "Daschle Lays out a Plan to Overhaul Health Care" LINK