The Note’s Must-Reads for Friday, December 12, 2008

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

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

"Jake Tapper on Blago’s Actions" LINK

"Blagojevich: ‘I’ll Never Take Bribes’" LINK

"Obama ‘Appalled’ By Blago Charges" LINK

"More Calls for Blagojevich Resignation" LINK

"Obama Names Daschle HHS Secretary" LINK

"Auto Industry’s Future Uncertain" LINK

ILLINOIS SENATE SEAT SCANDAL / GOVERNOR BLAGOJEVICH:

ABC News’ Thomas Giusto and Brian Ross: "Rev. Jackson: I Played No Role in Blagojevich Scandal, Not an ‘Emissary’" LINK

USA Today’s Kevin Johnson: "Wiretaps trouble for Blagojevich, law experts say" LINK

ABC News’ Judy Keen: "Ill. lawmakers mull bill to defy governor" LINK

The Washington Times’ Stephen Dinan: "Obama says staff’s clear of scandal" LINK

The New York Daily News’ Michael Mcauliff: "President-elect Obama takes strong Blagojevich scandal" LINK

The Washington Times’ David R. Sands: "Cynics rouse debate of most corrupt state" LINK

The Associated Press’ Deanna Bellandi and Christopher Wills: "Pressure Intensifies for Ill. Governor to Resign" LINK

The New York Times’ Susan Saulny and Monica Davey: "Obama to Detail Any Staff Talks on Senate Seat" LINK

The New York Times’ Christopher Drew and Mike McIntire: "Ex-Obama Fund-Raiser Was Close to Illinois Governor, but Kept Ties Separate" LINK

The New York Times’ Steven Greenhouse: "Union Is Caught Up in Illinois Bribe Case"

The Washington Post’s Eli Saslow: "Obama Worked to Distance Self From Blagojevich Early On" LINK

The Washington Post’s Peter Slevin: "Blagojevich Remains Silent Amid Cacophony" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s David Kesmodel and Kevin Helliker: “Blagojevich Thrived By Capitalizing On Connections” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Thomas M. Burton, Ashby Jones and Dionne Searcey: “Blagojevich Left Legal Bills Unpaid” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Christopher Cooper and John R. Emshwiller: “Rezko Emerges With Central Role In Case” LINK

Bloomberg’s Hans Nichols and Kim Chipman: “Illinois Scandal Opens Up Race To Succeed Obama In U.S. Senate” LINK

Boston Herald Op-Ed by John Kass: “Rod Blagojevich Crazy Like A Fox” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Peter Nicholas: “Obama Gets A Crisis ‘Test Run’” LINK

The Los Angeles Times Opinion by Doyle McManus: “Obama’s Rules or Chicago Rules?” LINK

Newsweek’s Michael Hirsh: “Barack the Untouchable” LINK

The Hill’s Reid Wilson and Alexander Bolton: "Jackson now unlikely Obama replacement" LINK

PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE WHITE HOUSE TRANSITION:

ABC News’ Special Index for The 44th President: LINK

ABC News’ Teddy Davis: "Obama and Daschle at Odds on Individual Mandate" LINK

ABC News’ Kathy Kiely: "Obama’s calls to lawmakers ‘unheard of’" LINK

The New York Times’ Robert Pear: "Health Care Policy Is in Hands of an Ex-Senator" LINK

The Washington Post’s David A. Fahrenthold: "Seasoned Regulators to Lead Obama Environment Program" LINK

The Washington Post’s Ceci Connolly: "Obama Lawmakers Expanding Health Measures in stimulus Plan" LINK

The Wall Street Journal Capital Journal: “Rangel Hits Obama Closer To Home” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Neil King Jr. and Stephen Power: “Times Tough For Energy Overhaul” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Brad Haynes and T.W. Farnam: “Browner’s Husband Lobbied On Energy Issues” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Alicia Mundy: “Critics Top Shortlist for FDA Head” LINK

The Los Angeles Times Editorial: “Obama’s Choice on Education” LINK

The Hill’s Jordy Yager: "Inauguration Emergency Plans Incomplete" LINK

PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA’S INAUGURATION:

The Associated Press: "Celebrities, musicians hosting inaugural ball" LINK

The Washington Times’ Michael Drost: "Secret Service doubts inaugural estimate" LINK

The Washington Times’ Christina Bellantoni: "Gore’s green gala to herald ‘new energy’" LINK

The Washington Post’s Mary Beth Sheridan: "Inaugural Rules Bar Overnight Camping" LINK

ECONOMY/AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY BAILOUT:

ABC News Nightline Closing Argument: "Bailout Collapse Blame Game" LINK

ABC News’ Jonathan Karl, Z. Byron Wolf, Kate Barrett and Michael S. James: "Bid to Save GM, Chrysler Loans Dies in Senate" LINK

ABC News’ Richard Esposito: "Feds Charge: The $50 BILLION Scam; One Man’s Amazing Crime" LINK

ABC News’ Scott Mayerowitz: "Life after Layoffs: A City’s Struggle to Survive" LINK

USA Today’s Dennis Cauchon: "Why home values may take decades to recover" LINK

USA Today’s Ken Dilanian and Sharon Silke Carty: "Hope dims for deal to rescue carmakers as talks collapse" LINK

The Washington Times’ S.A. Miller: "Wage issue kills Big 3 deal in Senate" LINK

The New York Daily News’ Richard Sisk: "Auto bailout talks collapse in Senate over Union wages" LINK

The Associated Press’ Mae Anderson: "Retailer KB Toys Files for Bankruptcy Protection" LINK

The Associated Press’ Julie Hirschfeld and Ken Thomas: "$14B Auto Bailout Dies in Senate" LINK

The New York Times’ David M. Herszenhorn: "Senate Abandons Auto Bailout Bid" LINK

The New York Times’ Bill Vlasic and Leslie Wayne: "Auto Suppliers Share Anxiety Over a Bailout" LINK

The New York Times’ Bettina Wassener: "Asian Markets Sink on Auto Bailout Collapse" LINK

The New York Times’ Patrick McGeehan: "Job Losses in City Reach Up Ladder" LINK

The Washington Post’s Paul Kane: "Auto Bailout Talks Collapse as Senate Deadlocks Over Wages" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Naftali Bendavid: “Shelby, South Lead Resistance To Rescue” LINK

Bloomberg’s Chen Shiyin and Toshiro Hasegawa: “Asian Stocks, U.S. Futures, Dollar Tumble as Auto Bailout Fails” LINK

Bloomberg’s Jeff Green and Nicholas Johnston: “GM, Chrysler Survival Options Narrow after Congress Vote Fails” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Jim Puzzanghera: “Senate Republicans Kill Auto Bailout Bill” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Ken Bensinger: “Automakers Fail To Cash In On Big GOP Donations” LINK

Newsweek’s Keith Naughton: “In the Driver’s Seat” LINK

Bloomberg’s Scott Lanman: “Bernanke Spoke To Obama Soon After Lehman Failure In September” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Maura Reynolds and Mark Medina: “Debt Held By U.S. Households Shrinks For First Time” LINK

The Hill’s J. Taylor Rushing: "Senate Auto Bailout Falls Apart" LINK

Politico’s David Rogers: "Senate Rejects Auto Bailout" LINK

The Boston Globe’s Ross Kerber and Todd Wallack: "35,000 Jobs Will Go at Bank of America" LINK

The Boston Globe’s Brian MacQuarrie: "Mainers Rally with Knife, Fork To Aid Struggling Lobstermen" LINK

Time Magazine’s Stephen Gandel: "Treasury Investments Already $16 Billion in the Red" LINK

CONGRESS:

The Hill’s Jim Snyder: "McCrery Joins Capitol Counsel" LINK

Politico’s Josh Kraushaar: "Kirk Considering Obama’s Senate Seat" LINK

The Boston Globe’s Foon Rhee: "Matthews for Senate?" LINK

Politico’s Ryan Grim: "Holder Fight Heats Up" LINK

CURRENT ADMINISTRATION:

ABC News’ Cynthia McFadden and Katie Escherich: "First Lady Reflects on Life at the White House" LINK

The Washington Times’ Jennifer Harper: "Staunch GOP still has faith in Bush" LINK

The Washington Times’ Jon Ward: "N. Korea nuke talks end without deal" LINK

The New York Times’ Steven Lee Myers: "In Setback for Bush, Korea Nuclear Talks Collapse" LINK

The New York Times’ Randal C. Archibold: "Bush Unveils New Rules for Guest Worker Hiring" LINK

The Washington Post’s Joby Warrick and Karen DeYoung: "Report on Detainee Abuse Blames Top Bush Officials" LINK

Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball: “Breaking the Will: How Waterboarding Got the Green Light from Bush LINK

Time Magazine’s Joe Klein: "The Aimless War: Why Are We in Afghanistan?" LINK

MUMBAI CRISIS:

Bloomberg’s Ed Johnson and Farhan Sharif: “Pakistan Puts Founder Of Mumbai Attack Group Under House Arrest” LINK

ELECTION:

Politico’s Ben Smith: "McCain pollster: Wright wouldn’t have worked" LINK

The Boston Globe’s Scott Helman: "The 2008 Race: A Retrospective" LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

The Associated Press’ Pauline Jelinek: "Pentagon seeks recruits on visas" LINK

USA Today’s Peter Eisler: "Pentagon keeps DNA files on 80K detainees, terror suspects" LINK

USA Today’s Steve Sternberg: "Study: Nations inflate vaccine numbers to get more aid" LINK

The Washington Times’ Julia Duin: "Evangelical quits after gay-union uproar" LINK

The Associated Press: "California OKs climate reforms" LINK

The Associated Press: "Republicans handed a gift in Rangel ethics case" LINK

The New York Times’ Carl Hulse: "G.O.P. Sounds Theme of Democrats: Ethics" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Russell Gold: “Perry: Carbon Caps ‘Disastrous’ For Texas” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Margot Roosevelt: “California Adopts The Most Sweeping Curbs On Greenhouse Gas Emissions In U.S.” LINK

Politico’s Michael Calderone: "Hannity goes solo" LINK

TOBACCO:

The Boston Globe’s Stephen Smith: "Hub Enacts Strict Ban on Tobacco Sales" LINK