The Note’s Must-Reads for Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Compiled by ABC News’ PETER MARTINEZ, CARRIE HALPERIN, JAYCE HENDERSON, STEPHANIE WASH and JUSTIN GRANT

2008: ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

"Israel Presses Gaza Attacks" LINK

"Escalating Violence in the Mideast" LINK

"Obama’s View of Israel" LINK

"Gaza: Global Hot Spot" LINK

"Politics Live: The Politics of Conflict" LINK

2008: CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

The Associated Press’ Munir Ahmad: "Pakistan: India Moves Troops toward Shared Border" LINK

ABC News’ Kirit Radia: "WH Blames Hamas for Violence" LINK

USA Today’s Richard Wolf and Andrea Stone: "Middle East Violence Adds to Obama’s List of International Challenges" LINK

The Associated Press’ Ibrahim Barzak and Jason Keyser: "Hamas Hits Back with Rockets in Retaliation against Israel" LINK

USA Today’s Brenda Gazzar: "War may propel Israeli election" LINK

USA Today’s David Jackson: "Crisis in Gaza, rhetoric rage on" LINK

The Washington Times’ Richard C. Gross: "Gaza conflict, recession shake stocks" LINK

The New York Times’ Ethan Bronner and Taghreed El-Khodary: "Death Toll Surpasses 350 in Fourth Day of Conflict" LINK

The New York Times’ Stephen Farrell: "For Hamas, Logic Led to Cease-Fire’s End" LINK

The New York Times’ Ethan Bronner and Taghreed El-Khodary: "No Early End Seen to All-Out War on Hamas in Gaza" LINK

The Washington Post’s Griff Witte and Sudarsan Raghaven: "All-Out War declared on Hamas" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Margaret Coker and Jay Solomon "Israel Presses Gaza Attacks As Hamas Steps Up Response" LINK

The Boston Globe Op-Ed’s Jeff Robbins: “The suffering that Hamas causes” LINK

The Boston Globe Op-Ed’s H.D.S. Greenway: “The cycle of violence in Gaza” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Michael Levenson: “Conflict stirs deep passion across Hub” LINK

2008: ILLINOIS GOVERNOR ROD BLAGOJEVICH:

The Associated Press’ Christopher Wills: "Blagojevich Lawyer Says Impeachment Not Justified" LINK

The New York Times’ Monica Davey and Malcolm Gay: "Blagojevich Prosecutors Seek Ruling on Tapes" LINK

2008: PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE WHITE HOUSE TRANSITION:

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

USA Today’s Jill Lawrence: "First U.S. tech officer will have hands full" LINK

USA Today’s Alan Gomez: "Inmates’ fate unclear if Obama closes Gitmo" LINK

The Washington Times’ Analysis: "Obama’s silence lets him assess conflict, reaction" LINK

The New York Times’ Bob Driehaus: "Little Town Beseeches Obama’s Health Chief" LINK

The Washington Post’s Maria Glod: "Chicago School Reform Could Be a U.S. Model" LINK

The Washington Post’s Ceci Connolly: "Obama Team Engages Public on Health Care" LINK

The Washington Post’s Paul Kane: "GOP Leaders Oppose Haste on Stimulus" LINK

The Washington Post: "Emanuel Announces House Resignation" LINK

Politico’s Carrie Budoff Brown: "A New Way to Beg for Obama Jobs" LINK

Politico’s Ben Smith & Harry Siegel: "Conflict Upends Obama’s Plans" LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ James Oliphant: “Rahm Emanuel says he’ll resign House seat Friday” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ John McCormick: “Hawaii banking on Obama tourism” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Peter S. Canellos: “Choice of Warren reflects Obama’s intent to include evangelicals” LINK

The New York Daily News’ Glenn Blain: "Paterson wants stimulus aid to states put on fast track" LINK

The Associated Press’ Mike Glover: "Obama can’t shake the bowling jokes" LINK

2008: PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE INAUGURATION:

USA Today’s Fredreka Schouten: "Obama inauguration committee seeks essayists, donors" LINK

The Washington Post’s Anita Huslin: "Hargrove Keeps Job as Presidential Party Host" LINK

Politico’s Sarah Abruzzese: "Journos May Not Get Inaugural Spots" LINK

2008: AUTO INDUSTRY:

USA Today’s Sharon Silke Carty: "GMAC, key to GM’s survival, gets $5 billion in federal aid" LINK

The Washington Times’ Patrice Hall: "Treasury will give GMAC $5 billion" LINK

The New York Times’ Mary M. Chapman: "Black Workers in Auto Plants Losing Ground" LINK

The Hill’s Silla Brush: "White House Adds $6 Billion to Auto Bailout" LINK

Politico’s David Rogers: "Treasury Antes Up In Auto Bailout" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Staff: "GMAC to get $6 Billion Aid Deal" LINK

2008: ECONOMY:

The World Newser: "Gas Price as Stimulus Package?" LINK

USA Today’s Mindy Fetterman and Jon Swartz: "Fallout begins for retailers after dismal holiday season" LINK

USA Today’s Barbara Hagenbaugh: "Most companies don’t plan to cut jobs in 1st quarter" LINK

USA Today’s Stefanie Frith: "’Trash-out’ firms clean up in foreclosure biz" LINK

The New York Times’ Edmund L. Andrews and Bill Vlasic: "U.S. Agrees to a Stake in GMAC" LINK

The New York Times’ Stephanie Rosenbloom: "Parent Company, A Retailer, Files for Bankruptsy" LINK

The New York Times’ Elisabeth Malkin: "Mexico’s Fiscal Prudence fails to Avert a Slowdown" LINK

The Washington Post’s Neil Irwin and Binyamin Appelbaum: "GMAC to get $6 Billion Lifeline" LINK

The Washington Post’s Brady Dennis and Robert O’Harrow Jr.: "A Crack in the System" LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Martin Zimmerman: “GMAC to get $5 billion in U.S. financial assistance” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ E. Scott Reckard: “Sale of IndyMac to partnership likely” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Robert O’Harrow Jr. and Brady Dennis: “Bold innovators led AIG’s stunning rise” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Tom Petruno: “In ’08, investors who lost less won” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Andrea Chang and Mark Medina: “Grim new year in store for retailers” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Tiffany Hsu: “L.A. clubs offer cheaper New Year’s Eve revelry” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Steven Syre: “And the winner is…” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Robert Gavin: “Study finds housing key to job growth” LINK

2008: CAROLINE KENNEDY:

The New York Daily News’ Michael Saul: "Caroline Kennedy no whiz with words" LINK

2008: CURRENT ADMINISTRATION:

ABC News’ Emma Schwartz: "Many Questions Left in Bush Scandals" LINK

The Washington Times Exclusive by Ralph Z. Hallow: "RNC set to rip (Bush’s) bailouts" LINK

The Associated Press: "Ex-Aides Say Bush Never Recovered from Katrina" LINK

The Washington Post’s Derek Kravitz: "Homelessness Official Wins Praise with Focus on Permanent Housing" LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ David G. Savage: “Bush has successfully defended anti-terrorism policies” LINK

The New York Daily News’ Richard Sisk: "Clueless W just like Palin ex-aide says" LINK

2008: DEMOCRATS/GOP:

The Washington Times’ Kara Rowland: "Jeb Senate bid a GOP remedy" LINK

The Washington Times Exclusive by Ralph Z. Hallow: "Social cons wrangling for top GOP post" LINK

The New York Times’ Carl Hulse: "Republicans Seek Recovery Plan Details" LINK

2008: ELECTION:

The Associated Press’ Brian Bakst: "Absentee ballots unclear in Minnesota race" LINK

The Hill’s Michael O’Brien: "Coleman Wants 700 Ballots Recounted" LINK

Politico’s Josh Kraushaar: "Franken, Coleman Feud over Absentee Ballots" LINK

2008: SARAH PALIN & FAMILY:

The World Newswer: "Bristol Palin Gives Birth to Baby Boy" LINK

The Associated Press: "Palin’s Daughter Gives Birth to Son Named Tripp" LINK

Time’s Staff: "Palin’s Daughter Gives Birth to Son Named Tripp" LINK

Politico’s Amie Parnes: "Bristol Palin gives birth to son" LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Top of the Ticket Blog’s Andrew Malcom: “Bristol Palin’s baby makes Sarah Palin a grandma. And he’s a Republican” LINK

The New York Daily News’ Owen Mortiz: "Bristol Palin gives birth to boy" LINK

2008: ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT:

The Wall Street Journal’s Jeffrey Ball: "Green Goal of ‘Carbon Neutrality’ Hits Limit" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Staff: "Banks to Post a Rare Quarterly Loss" LINK

2008: OTHER MUST-READS:

USA Today’s Thomas Frank: "Napolitano backs security tech" LINK

Time’s Rania Abouzeid / Diyala: "Mismanaging Iraq: No Cash to Carry" LINK

Time’s Mark Halperin: "The Page" LINK

Politico’s Ben Smith: "Huckabee Weighs In On ‘Magic Negro" LINK