The Note’s Must-Reads for Wednesday, September 23, 2009
EmailThe 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 PETER MARTINEZ, JAYCE HENDERSON, KRISTEN RED-HORSE, CLAUDIA MORALES, CARRIE HALPERIN AND DOMINICK TAO
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HEALTH CARE:
ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “Mandate or Tax? Grassley v. Baucus” LINK
Politico’s David Rogers: “Medicare hike would pinch seniors” LINK
The Hill’s Mike Soraghan: “Pelosi backs away from deal with Blue Dog” LINK
The Los Angeles Times’ Janet Hook and Noam N. Levey: “Baucus offers higher subsidies, other changes to his healthcare bill” LINK
The Wall Street Journal’s Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy: “GOP Assails Health-Plan Mandate” LINK
The Boston Herald Editorial Staff: “Health ‘sausage’” LINK
Time Magazine’s Kate Pickert: “Young, Invincible — and the Key to Health Reform” LINK
The New York Times’ Robert Pear and David Herszenhorn: “Parties Clash on Long-Awaited Day for Health Bill” LINK
The Washington Post’s Edward Cody: “For French, U.S. Health Debate Hard To Imagine” LINK
The Washington Post’s Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery: “Lines Drawn as Senate Panel Begins Debating Health Bill” LINK
USA Today’s Mimi Hall and John Fritze: ” Health care: Five faces of the uninsured” LINK
USA Today’s John Fritze: “Both sides skeptical as Sen. Baucus revises health care bill” LINK
USA Today’s Andrew Seaman: “Health care around the globe” LINK
SENATE SEAT:
The Boston Globe Staff: “Senate OK’s Kennedy successor bill” LINK
The New York Times’ Abby Goodnough and Carl Hulse: “Bill Approved to Expedite a Successor to Kennedy” LINK
PRESIDENT OBAMA & HIS ADMINISTRATION:
ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “After ‘Inappropriate’ NEA Conference Call, White House Pushes New Guidelines” LINK
Politico’s Andy Barr: “Administration backs off NEA call” LINK
Politico’s John Bresnahan: “For CBC, the joy is tempered by worry” LINK
Time Magazine’s Randy James: “White House Czars” LINK
The Washington Post’s Carrie Johnson: “Obama to Set Higher Bar for Keeping State Secrets” LINK
ECONOMY/FINANCIAL REFORM:
The Wall Street Journal’s Corey Boles: “House Votes to Extend Jobless Benefits” LINK
The Wall Street Journal’s Damian Paletta and Alessandra Galloni: “Europe, U.S. Spar On Cure for Banks” LINK
Bloomberg’s Robert Schmidt: “Geithner Says ‘Time Is the Enemy’ of Financial Rules Overhaul” LINK
The Associated Press: “Economy recovering, Geithner says, but fixes are needed” LINK
The Associated Press: “House votes to extend jobless benefits” LINK
FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
ABC News’ Ned Potter: “Israel’s Netanyahu: Let’s Talk with Palestinians—and Stops Iran’s Threat” LINK
ABC News’ McCain Feels ‘Sympathy’ for Obama on Afghanistan” LINK
ABC News’ Karen Travers: “Obama Meets Chinese President Amid Rising Trade Tensions” LINK
The Hill’s Sam Youngman and Ian Swanson: “Obama takes on challenges at U.N.” LINK
The Los Angeles Times’ Paul Richter and Christi Parsons: “President Obama enters the Mideast fray” LINK
The Washington Times’ Ben Conery and Audrey Hudson: “Police warned of high-profile terrorist targets” LINK
The Washington Times’ Jon Ward and Christina Bellantoni: “Chinese plan upstages Obama at U.N.” LINK
The Washington Times’ Jon Ward: “Turkish diplomats cause scuffle around Obama” LINK
The Los Angeles Times’ Ken Ellingwood and Alex Renderos: “Honduran forces break up pro-Zelaya rally” LINK
The Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Weisman: “Poll Reflects Afghan War Doubts” LINK
The Wall Street Journal’s Yochi J. Dreazen, Neil King Jr. and Peter Spiegel: “Congress Presses on War Plan” LINK
Bloomberg’s Bill Varner and Janine Zacharia: “Obama’s UN Nuclear Summit Sidesteps Iran, North Korea Disputes” LINK
The Boston Globe’s Michael D. Shear and Glenn Kessler: “Obama urges progress on Mideast” LINK
The New York Times’ Peter Baker and Elisabeth Bumiller: “Obama Is Considering Strategy Shift in Afghan War” LINK
The New York Times’ Helene Cooper and Mark Landler: “In Mideast Peace Bid, Obama Pivots in His Demands” LINK
The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz: “At Pentagon’s Request, Post Delayed Story on General’s Afghanistan Report” LINK
The Washington Post’s Michael Shear and Glenn Kessler: “Obama Presses Mideast Leaders to Broaden Talks” LINK
SENATOR ROBERT BYRD:
The Wall Street Journal’s Naftali Bendavid: “Veteran Democrat, Byrd, Hospitalized” LINK
The Hill’s J. Taylor Rushing: “Sen. Byrd hospitalized after fall” LINK
ELECTIONS:
The Wall Street Journal’s Leslie Eaton and Russell Gold: “Gloves Are Off in Texas Race” LINK
The Wall Street Journal’s Suzanne Sataline: “GOP Sees Hope in New York Race” LINK
NY Daily News’ Kenneth Lovett: “Bill Clinton joins Obama push against Paterson in ‘Today’ interview; Guv’s poll numbers sinking” LINK
The Boston Globe Staff: “Pawlenty shows signs of a presidential run” LINK
ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT:
ABC News’ Mathew Jaffe: “Obama Administration Gives Clean Energy $1 Billion in Stimulus Funds” LINK
ABC News’ Jake Tapper and Huma Khan: “Obama Urges Climate Change Action at United Nations” LINK
The Hill’s Jim Snyder: “Smart grid electrifies K Street” LINK
The Wall Street Journal’s Kim Chipman: “Obama’s Ability to Deliver Climate-Change Measure Questioned” LINK
The Boston Globe’s Farah Stockman: “At UN summit, Obama promises action on climate” LINK
The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin and Colum Lynch: “Nations Appear Headed Toward Independent Climate Goals” LINK
USA Today’s Traci Watson: “Deal on climate change is elusive” LINK
DEMOCRATS / REPUBLICANS:
The New York Times’ Jackie Calmes: “G.O.P. Senator Draws Critics in Both Parties” LINK
OTHER MUST-READS:
Politico’s Ben Smith: “A D.C. whodunit: Who leaked and why?” LINK
Politico’s Ben Smith: “Scheunemann advising Palin for ‘wide-ranging’ Hong Kong talk” LINK
The Hill’s Kevin Bogardus: “Bundling rule doesn’t capture all the fundraising by lobbyists” LINK
The Los Angeles Times’ Marc Lifsher: “Toyota wants California to repay it for training workers” LINK
The New York Times’ Jeff Zeleny: “Agencies Instructed to Separate Politics From Grant Awards” LINK
USA Today’s Matt Kelley: “Cronkite records destroyed by FBI” LINK
USA Today’s Sharon Jayson and Jack Gillum: “Census: 76% marry just once; new count for same-sex couples” LINK
ABC NEWS VIDEOS:
“Gov. Paterson: ‘No Problem’ With Obama” LINK
“McCain Feels ‘Sympathy’ for Obama” LINK
“Obama Conveys Frustration to Netanyahu, Abbas” LINK
“Baucus Bill Would Impose ‘Excise Tax’” LINK
“Obama Calls on Developing Nations to Step Up” LINK
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule