The Note's Must-Reads for Friday, Nov. 13, 2009

Compiled by ABC News Desk Assistants JAYCE HENDERSON, PETER MARTINEZ, KRISTEN RED-HORSE AND CARRIE HALPERIN

BOOKMARKS:

The Note: LINK

The Must-Reads Online: LINK

Top Line Webcast (12noon EST M-F): LINK

ABC News Politics: LINK

The Political Punch (Jake Tapper): LINK

George's Bottom Line (George Stephanopoulos): LINK

Clem's Chronicle: LINK

ABC News Mobile: LINK

ABC News app on your iPhone/iPod Touch: LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION:

ABC News' Jake Tapper: "Seeking Benchmarks and "Off-ramps," President Obama Sends Pentagon Officials Back to their Desks" LINK

ABC News' Rachel Martin: "President Obama to Troops in Alaska: 'We'll Give You the Strategy and Clear Mission You Deserve'" LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper: "White House Backs CIA Over DNI in Turf Battles" LINK

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos: "Compromising on Education Reform?" LINK

USA Today's The Oval: "Obama: Won't hesitate to use force, if necessary" LINK

USA Today's The Oval: "Obama's team still dealing with budget deficits" LINK

The Washington Post’s Anne Kornblut and Ellen Nakashima: “White House counsel poised to give up post” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Peter Nicholas: “Obama arrives in Tokyo on first leg of Asia trip" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Perez and Jonathan Weisman: “Craig to Leave Counsel Job” LINK

Politico’s Josh Gerstein & Mike Allen: “Craig to step down on Friday” LINK

DEMOCRATS / REPUBLICANS:

ABC News' Teddy Davis: "No More Review: RNC's Abortion Coverage Is Toast" LINK

The New York Times’ Carl Hulse: “3 Right-Hand Men Take a Turn at center Stage” LINK

ECONOMY / JOBS / REGULATIONS / BANKING / TARP:

ABC News' Matthew Jaffe: "Federal Deficit Hits October Record of $176 Billion" LINK

The New York Times’ David Streitfeld: “Housing Agency’s Cash Reserves Down Sharply” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Meena Thiruvengadam and Darrell Hughes: “U.S. Posts $176.36 Billion Deficit for October” LINK

Bloomberg’s Robert Schmidt: “Barofsky Says TARP ‘Almost Certainly’ Will Bring Loss to U.S.” LINK

ARMED FORCES:

ABC News' Kirit Radia: "Gates Irked By Recent Leaks: 'Everybody Out There Ought to Just Shut Up'" LINK

FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos: "Bush: 'I Went Against My Free-Market Instincts'" LINK

The Washington Times’ Joseph Curl: “Bush warns of too much government” LINK

FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

ABC News' Jim Sciutto: "'Relax, Brother': Exclusive Video Shows Taliban Attack That Killed 9 U.S. Soldiers at Afghan Post" LINK

ABC News' The World Newser: "Exclusive Video: Inside a Taliban Attack in Afghanistan" LINK

ABC News' Richard Esposito: "U.S. Moves to Seize New York Skyscraper & Islamic Centers In Crackdown on Iran, Bank Melli" LINK

The Associated Press: "Obama visits Japan mulling Afghan war options" LINK

USA Today's The Oval: "Obama on Afghanistan: At least one more meeting likely" LINK

The New York Times’ Sabrina Tavernise: “Afghan Enclave Offers Model to Rebuild, and Rebuff Taliban” LINK

The Hill's Sam Youngman: “Obama 'closer' to Afghanistan decision" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Zulfiqar Ali and Alex Rodriguez: “Blast at Pakistan intelligence agency office kills at least 8" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Mark Magnier: “Dutch troops' method in Afghanistan gains new prominence" LINK

The Associated Press: "Feds seek to seize 4 mosques, NYC skyscraper linked to Iran" LINK

The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler: “Prosecutors tie Iran, U.S. assets” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Josh Meyer: “Authorities move to seize U.S. properties allegedly tied to Iran" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Chad Bray: “U.S. Is Targeting Assets Linked to Iran” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Spiegel: “U.S. Mulls Combining War Plans” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s James Hookway: “Clinton Backs Manila's Fight” LINK

Bloomberg’s Edwin Chen and Viola Gienger: “Obama Seeks Afghan War Exit Strategy Tied to Karzai Commitment” LINK

Bloomberg’s Edwin Chen and Viola Gienger: “Obama Seeks Afghan War Exit Strategy Tied to Karzai Commitment” LINK

The Washington Times’ Matthew Mosk and Takehiko Kambayashi: “Obama begins delicate mission to Japan” LINK

The Washington Times’ Nicholas Kralev: “Obama wants more Afghan war options” LINK

SARAH PALIN:

ABC News’ Rick Klein: "Palin: Levi Johnston ‘Part of the Family’; McCain Staffers Thought Couric Interview Went Well" LINK

The Associated Press: "Palin in book: McCain aides kept me 'bottled up'" LINK

MASS. SENATE SEAT:

The Boston Herald’s Jessica Van Sack: “Senate candidates get key nods” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Matt Viser: “Senate hopefuls turn up volume” LINK

HEALTH CARE:

The New York Times’ Robert Pear: “Reid Mulls Medicare Tax Increase for High Earners” LINK

The Wall Street Journal Capital Journal: “Abortion Upends Health-Bill Alliance” LINK

Politico’s Jonathan Allen: “RNC plan will no longer cover abortions” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Lisa Wangsness: “Powerful health care groups offer optimism on overhaul” LINK

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE:

The New York Times’ Ian Urbina: “New Turn in Debate Over Law on Marriage” LINK

The Washington Post’s Tim Craig, Michelle Boorstein and Carol Morello: “D.C. Council digs in on same-sex nuptials” LINK

ENVIRONMENT:

The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin: “U.S. weighs backing interim international climate agreement” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Ralph Vartabedian: “Nuclear scars: Tainted water runs beneath Nevada desert" LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

The Washington Post’s Perry Bacon Jr.: “N.Y. congressional race not yet certified” LINK

The Washington Times’ Ben Conery: “U.S. moves to seize mosques with Iran ties” LINK

The Washington Times’ Stephen Dinan: “ACORN sues government over funding” LINK

The Washington Times’ Eli Lake: “EXCLUSIVE: Iran advocacy group said to skirt lobby rules” LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

"Laura Bush: Empowering Women to Lead" LINK

"New Video of Organized Taliban Attack" LINK

"Preview of Oprah's One on One With Palin" LINK

"Obama to Troops: Nation Will Fulfill Responsibilities" LINK

"Hasan Labeled Himself 'Soldier of Allah'" LINK

"How Can Obama Jump-Start the Job Market?" LINK