The Note’s Must-Reads for Monday, October 12, 2009

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 KRISTEN RED-HORSE, PETER MARTINEZ, JAYCE HENDERSON, CARRIE HALPERIN, CLAUDIA MORALES and DOMINICK TAO

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PRESIDENT OBAMA:

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “Obama’s Nobel: ‘Well Deserved’” LINK

Time’s Michael Elliott: “The Limits of Humility: How Obama Got It Right” LINK

Newsweek’s Christopher Hitchens: “Underqualified for the Overrated” LINK

USA Today’s Kathy Kiely: “Republicans both assail, applaud Nobel award” LINK

USA Today’s Kathy Kiely: “GOP shows contrasts in Nobel reaction” LINK

The New York Times’ Adam Nagourney: “2 State Races May Put Lens on Obama” LINK

GAY RIGHTS / ‘DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL’:

NY Daily News’ Rich Shapiro: “President Obama tells gay rights group: ‘I will end ‘don’t ask, don’t tell” LINK

The Hill’s Jared Allen: “Doubt cast on Obama promises as activists march to Capitol” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Katherine Skiba: “Thousands march in Washington for gay rights” LINK

USA Today’s Marisol Bello: “Gays and lesbians rally in Washington for equal rights” LINK

The New York Times’ Jeremy Peters: “Gay Rights Marchers Press Cause in Washington” LINK

The Washington Post’s Nelson Hernandez and Yamiche Alcindor: “Making a Federal Case for Gay Rights” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Elizabeth Williamson and Neil King Jr.: “Support Grows to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’” LINK

AFGHANISTAN:

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “New Afghan Strategy Options Coming” LINK

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “Feinstein: Obama Should Approve McChrystal’s Recommendations” LINK

Politico’s Laura Rozen: “A plan called Chaosistan” LINK

Politico’s Andy Barr: “McCain: No win without 40,000 more troops” LINK

Politico’s Andy Barr: “Levin says no timelines” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Laura King: “U.N. official defends Afghanistan election despite widespread fraud” LINK

The Associated Press’ Richard Lardner: “Weapons failed US troops during Afghan firefight” LINK

The New York Times’ Elisabeth Bummiler and Mark Landler: “Civilian Goals Largely Unmet in Afghanistan” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Neil King Jr.: “Lawmakers Air Strategy Debate” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Yochi J. Dreazen: “War Council Meets on Afghan Strategy” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Anand Gopal: “U.N. Envoy Calls Afghan Fraud Widespread” LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

The Washington Times’ Sara A. Carter: “Pakistanis say U.S. hoards intelligence” LINK

The Washington Post’s Mary Beth Sheridan: “Clinton: U.S. Confident in Pakistan’s Control Over Nuclear Weapons” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Perez: “White House Bid to Close Gitmo Hampered by Snags in Congress” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Matthew Rosenberg and Zahid Hussain: “Pakistanis Vow Revenge for Assault by Taliban” LINK

Bloomberg’s Janine Zacharia and Colm Heatley: “Clinton to Urge Northern Ireland to Press Ahead With Peace” LINK

USA Today’s Aamer Madhani: “Court-martial of 2 soldiers weighed in Iraq discipline cases” LINK

The Associated Press’ Sharon Cohen: “Soldier fights to secure future for Iraqi translator in U.S.” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Gina Chon: “Opposition Grows to Iraqi Election Plan” LINK

HEALTH CARE:

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “White House Tells DNC to Pull Health Care Reform Ad, at Doles’ Request” LINK

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: “Senate prospects for healthcare co-ops dim” LINK

USA Today Staff & Wire Reports: “If a health bill passes, benefits not immediate” LINK

The Associated Press’ Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar: “Insurers escalate criticism of health overhaul” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Lisa Wangsness: “Health plan’s effect on costs may be slight” LINK

The Washington Post’s Ceci Connolly: “New Bill Would Raise Rates, Says Insurance Group” LINK

Bloomberg’s Kristin Jensen and Laura Litvan: “Health-Care Plan Future Rests on Snowe, Battling Democrats, CBO” LINK

ECONOMY / JOBS / BANKING / DEFICIT:

ABC News’ Nia-Malika Henderson: “Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Gov. Mitch Daniels on jobs and the stimulus package” LINK

The Hill’s Mike Soraghan: “Democrats again look to economist forum as unemployment figures rise” LINK

The Washington Times’ David M. Dickson: “Spending, interest threaten Obama budget” LINK

The Washington Times’ Sean Lengell: “SEC says bonuses to Merrill disclosed” LINK

USA Today’s Rick Hampson: “For some, hard times are a gateway to new careers” LINK

USA Today’s David J. Lynch: “Consumer spending at 71% of GDP as other sectors shrink” LINK

DEMOCRATS / REPUBLICANS:

The Washington Post’s Carol Leonnig: “Palin a Formidable Force, McCain Says” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Naftali Bendavid: “Pelosi Key to GOP 2010 Playbook” LINK

ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT:

The Los Angeles Times’ Jim Tankersley and Josh Meyer: “Federal scientists urge against offshore drilling plans” LINK

The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin and Michael Shear: “Obama Urged to Intensify Push for Climate Measure” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Cassandra Sweet: “Schwarzenegger Vetoes Energy Bills” LINK

CONGRESS:

ABC News’ Carrie Budoff Brown: “AHIP report to take whack at SFC bill; UPDATE: WH feels ‘’misled”” LINK

The Hill’s Walter Alarkon: “Democrats stymie GOP efforts to pass immigration measures” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Susan Milligan: “Stalled agenda irks labor leaders” LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

Newsweek’s Holly Bailey and Evan Thomas: “An Inconvenient Truth Teller” LINK

NY Daily News David Saltonstall: “Rep. Charles Rangel drowning in tangle web of ethics charges” LINK

USA Today’s Grant Schulte: “Iowa, U.S. gripped by trial in wake of historic immigrant raid” LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“Obama: Nobel Win Is a ‘Call to’ Action” LINK

“Raddatz: W.H. Eyes Al Qaeda, Not Taliban” LINK

“Obama Touts Consumer Protection Agency” LINK