The Note's Must-Reads for Tuesday, October 20, 2009

October 20, 2009 4:13 AM

The Note's Must-Reads are a round-up of today's political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com

Compiled by ABC News Desk Assistants JAYCE HENDERSON, PETER MARTINEZ, KRISTEN RED-HORSE, CLAUDIA MORALES, CARRIE HALPERIN and Dominick Tao

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PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION:

The New York Times’ David Kirkpatrick: “Financial Giants Donating Little to Obama Party” LINK

Newsweek’s Howard Fineman “Obama Made Arlen Specter Big Promises For Switching Parties. Now, Specter Wants Him To Pay Up” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jessica Holzer: “Housing Trade Groups Urge Obama Administration to Back Tax Credit” LINK

The Associated Press' Nancy Benac: "CAPITAL CULTURE: Obamas big on White House gigs" LINK

The Associated Press: "Playing the White House: music on a higher scale" LINK

AFGHANISTAN:

The New York Times’ Sabrina Tavernise and Helene Cooper: “Afghan Leader Said to Accept Runoff After Election Audit” LINK

The Washington Post’s Karen DeYoung and Joshua Partlow: “Karzai expected to agree to runoff” LINK

NY Daily News’ Jake Brooks “Is Afghanistan turning into Obama's Vietnam? Majority of Americans think so, shows poll” LINK

NY Daily News’ James Gordon Meek: “Sen. John Kerry 'not yet convinced' Afghanistan surge is right move” LINK

Time’s Tony Karon: “Why Escalation May Be Obama's Only Choice in Afghanistan” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Anand Gopal and Peter Spiegel: “U.S. Prods Karzai to Yield on Fraud” LINK

Bloomberg’s James Rupert and Janine Zacharia: “Karzai May Open Path to Disputed Afghan Vote Solution” LINK

The Associated Press: "Gates: Legitimate Afghan gov't could take months" LINK

The Associated Press' Robert Burns: "AP source: Karzai expected to accept he fell short" LINK

FOREIGN:

ABC News’ Jason Ryan: “U.S. Scientist Arrested for Allegedly Attempting to Pass Secrets to Israel” LINK

ABC News’ Nick Schifrin, Chris Cuomo, Kirit Radia, and Devin Dwyer: “Election Monitor Claims 1M Tainted karzai Votes” LINK

Politico’s David Rogers: “Sens. play good cop, bad cop in Kabul” LINK

The Washington Post’s Anthony Shadid and Nada Bakri: “election law stalls in Iraqi parliament” LINK

The Hill's Sam Youngman : “Obama unveils new incentives for Sudan” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Jeffrey Fleishman: “U.S., allies begin talks with Iran on nuclear program” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Laura King: "Pressure mounts for Afghan election runoff” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Tracy Wilkinson: "Honduran talks deadlocked on reinstating Zelaya” LINK

The Washington Times' Nicholas Kralev: "Clinton's pitch to Moscow gains little back” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Gina Chon: “Washington Plays Host to Iraqis in Search of Investment” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jay Solomon: “Obama Renews Sanctions, Adds Incentives on Sudan” LINK

ARMED FORCES:

The Associated Press' Lara Jakes: "Gates: Disputed US base likely to stay on Okinawa" LINK

HEALTH CARE:

ABC News’ Gary Langer: “POLL: Obama Holds Steady on Health Reform” LINK

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “New Poll: Public Option Up… GOP Down” LINK

Politico’s Glenn Thrush: “Tensions rise among Senate Dem leaders” LINK

Politico’s Staff: “Finance Committee bill has been filed” LINK

The Washington Post’s Dan Balz and Jon Cohen: “Public option gains support” LINK

The Washington Post’s Michael Shear: “Rift between Obama and Chamber of Commerce widening” LINK

The Hill's Jared Allen and Silla Brush: “Blue Dogs quiet on financial regulatory system overhaul” LINK

The Washington Times' Ann Geracimos: "Study: Swine flu vaccine won't help most” LINK

Time’s Michael Scherer “The White House Readies a Stealth Stimulus” LINK

Time’s Jay Newton-Small: “Will Insurers' Health-Care Attacks Backfire?” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy: “Public Option Gets New Life in Senate” LINK

Bloomberg’s Brian Faler: “Reid Leads Democrats In Carving Out Favors for States on Health” LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Intelligence: "Poll: Concern among liberals on Obama health care stands" LINK

USA Today's Richard Wolf: "White House pushes to shape health bill" LINK

USA Today's Robert Pear: "For 12 million on Medicare, premium set to jump 15% next year" LINK

ECONOMY/STIMULUS:

ABC News’ Karen Travers: “Biden: Specter Saves Nation from Depression (with his stimulus vote) LINK

The Washington Post’s Zachary Goldfarb: “Bank of America deal had White Houser Support” LINK

The Washington Post’s Nick Anderson: “Report says stimulus preserved education jobs” LINK

The Washington Post’s David Cho: “Small firms, home buyers to get a boost” LINK

The Hill's Walter Alarkon: “Senators raise alarm on red ink” LINK

The Hill's Silla Bush: “Oversight hearing to examine new documents on BofA deal” LINK

USA Today's Paul Davidson: "Deflation fears persist amid beginning of economic recovery" LINK

USA Today's Sandra Block: "Latest bank fee is for paying off credit card on time every month" LINK

USA Today's Paul Wiseman and Pallavi Gogoi: " FDIC chief: Small banks can't compete with bailed-out giants" LINK

CONGRESS:

The Los Angeles Times' David Kelly: “Congressman disputes being investigated by FBI” LINK

G.O.P.:

The Boston Herald’s Edward Mason: “Rough 2010 waters for Sarah Palin, as Mitt Romney reels ’em in” LINK

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT:

Politico’s Lisa Lerer: “White House plan: Neuter the Chamber” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Ralph Vartabedian: "Toxic legacy of the Cold War” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Kim Murphy: "Forest study sees upside of climate change” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Kim Murphy: "Arctic offshore drilling plan cleared for Beaufort Sea” LINK

SARAH PALIN:

Newsweek’s Holly Bailey: “Time Out of the Spotlight Hasn't Helped Sarah Palin” LINK

MEDICAL MARIJUANA:

ABC News’ Hums Khan: “Medical Marijuana Proponents Breathe Easier Under New Guidelines” LINK

Politico’s Nia-Malika Henderson: “Department of Justice shifts medical marijuana strategy” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Gary Fields and Justin Scheck: “U.S. Mellows on Medical Marijuana” LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

The Washington Post’s Fredrick Kunkle: “Va. Lieutenant governor candidates duke it out” LINK

The Washington Post’s Debbie Cenziper and Nikita Stewart: “D.C. officials to scrutinize spending by AIDS groups” LINK

The Washington Post’s Ed O’Keefe: “New boss moves quickly to change sluggish Patent Office” LINK

USA Today's Kevin Johnson: "In a switch, police invite scrutiny of racial profiling" LINK

USA Today's Larry Copeland: "Road safety campaigns take multicultural approach" LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“Public Option Squeeze” LINK

“Afghanistan Election Fraud” LINK

“Rules of Engagement in Afghanistan” LINK

“Biden on Economic Situation: 'It's a Depression'” LINK

“Women: How Far They've Come in America” LINK