The Note’s Must-Reads for Wednesday, October 21, 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 JAYCE HENDERSON, PETER MARTINEZ, KRISTEN RED-HORSE, CLAUDIA MORALES, CARRIE HALPERIN and DOMINICK TAO

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

Follow ABC News on Twitter: LINK

ABC News Mobile: LINK

ABC News on your iPhone/iPod Touch: LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION:

Politico’s Carol E. Lee: “Obama digs at Wall Street while in NYC” LINK

The Washington Post’s Anne Kornblut and Jason Horowitz: “Investors, more than banks, open checkbooks for Obama” LINK

The Hill's Sam Youngman: “Obama urges GOP to ‘get a mop’ and clean up Bush administration mess” LINK

The Hill's Sam Youngman: “President Obama takes on Wall Street in New York City fundraiser” LINK

USA Today's Mimi Hall: "Report: White House neglecting bioterrorism" LINK

HEALTH CARE:

ABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf: “The Doc Fix: “Ponzi scheme” or Fair Pay for Medicare Docs?” LINK

ABC News’ Sunlen Miller: “Campaign 2008 Redux? Obama Calls for Democrats to Unify o Health Care Reform” LINK

Politico’s Patrick O’Connor: “Pelosi pushes strong public option” LINK

The New York Times’ Sheryl Gay Stolberg: “Obama Takes a Health Care Hiatus” LINK

The Washington Post’s Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery: “Liberals increase pressure for public insurance plan in health bill” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy: “Fight Over Medicare Cuts Plays Into Larger Debate” LINK

Time’s Jay Newton-Small “A Fight Over Docs' Reimbursement Rates Is Latest Threat to Health Reform” LINK

The Hill's Susan Crabtree: “Democrats lock Republicans out of committee room” LINK

The Hill's Mike Soraghan: “Medicare for everyone” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Peter Nicholas: “White House relies on core healthcare team” LINK

The Washington Times' Jennifer Haberkorn: “Health debate stimulates lobbyists” LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Intelligence: "Obama group reaches 200,000 calls for health care" LINK

AFGHANISTAN:

The New York Times’ Sabrina Tavernise, Mark Landler and Helene Cooper: “With New Afghan Vote, Path to Stability Is Unclear” LINK

The Washington Post’s Dan Balz and Jon Cohen: “U.S. deeply split on troop increase for Afghan war” LINK

The Washington Post’s Karen DeYoung and Joshua Partlow: “Karzai voiced doubts about runoff until last moment” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jay Solomon and Peter Spiegel: “Decision Followed Five Days of Difficult Talks With U.S.” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Yaroslav Trofimov, Anand Gopal and Peter Spiegel: “Karzai Accepts Runoff, Ending Political Deadlock” LINK

Bloomberg’s Bill Varner: “Afghan Runoff Prompts Steps to Fight Vote Fraud, Officials Say” LINK

Bloomberg’s Janine Zacharia: “Kerry Wins Obama’s Praise for Brokering Afghan Election Runoff” LINK

The Boston Globe's Bryan Bender: "Tierney says 'burden of proof is on those advocating for more troops.'" LINK

The Boston Globe's Farah Stockman: "For Kerry, a diplomatic triumph" LINK

The Associated Press' National Security Writer Robert Burns: "Obama cites higher hope for Afghanistan democracy" LINK

OTHER FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “President Obama Talks Karzai” LINK

Politico’s Laura Rozen: “Pakistani Foreign Minister’s son was Kerry intern” LINK

Newsweek’s Mark Hosenball: “Tehran Seeking Nuclear Technology” LINK

The Washington Times' Jon Ward: “U.S. envoy steers clear of Afghan vote crisis” LINK

The Washington Times' Raza Khan and Ayesha Nasir: “Punjabi Taliban threat growing” LINK

The Washington Times' Joseph Weber: “U.S., Iraq moving beyond military issues” LINK

The Associated Press' Steven R. Hurst: "Obama sticks to Iraqi pullout schedule, presses leader on vote" LINK

GITMO/SUPREME COURT:

The New York Times’ Adam Liptak: “Justices to Decide on U.S. Release of Detainees” LINK

USA Today's Joan Biskupic: "Supreme Court to hear Chinese Muslims' case" LINK

The Washington Post’s Robert Barnes: “Supreme Court to hear Uighurs’ case” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jess Bravin and Evan Perez: “Court to Decide on U.S. Release of Uighurs at Gitmo” LINK

The Hill's Susan Crabtree: “Supreme Court to hear appeal from Guantánamo Bay Uighur prisoners” LINK

ECONOMY:

The Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Weisman and John D. Mckinnon: “Corporate Tax Breaks Get Scrutiny” LINK

Bloomberg’s Edwin Chen: “Obama Targets Insurance Companies, Banks in New York Appearance” LINK

The Hill's Silla Brush: “IG harshly criticizes Treasury's handling of $700B bailout” LINK

The Washington Times' Kara Rowland: “Feds threatened to oust BofA execs over Merrill deal” LINK

USA Today's Pallavi Gogoi and Paul Wiseman: "Watchdog excoriates execution of TARP" LINK

USA Today's Marisol Bello: "As aid shrinks, more 'stuck' for day care" LINK

The Associated Press' Jim Kuhnhenn: "Watchdog: Bailout helped but at a great cost" LINK

The Boston Globe's Jenn Abelson: "Less to choose from choose" LINK

CONGRESS:

ABC News’ Jake Tapper and Huma Khan: “Is More Help for Home Buyers on the Way?” LINK

ABC News’ Carrie Halperin: “World Questions Congress’ Commitment to Climate Change” LINK

Politico’s Manu Raju and John Bresnahan: “Harry Reid plan: ‘Vaporize’ 2010 GOP opponent” LINK

The New York Times’ Kirk Semple: “Senate Measure Gives Rights to Widows of Citizens” LINK

USA Today's David Lieberman: "Congress escalates battle over radio royalties" LINK

DEMOCRATS/G.O.P.:

ABC News’ Steven Portnoy: “Gingrich: GOP ‘Not Consistently, Methodically Offering Alternatives” LINK

Politico’s Jonathan Martin and Andy Barr: “Clinton helps Deeds – sort of” LINK

The New York Times’ Robert Pear: “Senate Democrats Hit Snag With Doctor Payment Bill” LINK

The Boston Herald’s Hillary Chabot: “Mitt Romney commits to Mass., not Washington” LINK

NY Daily News’ Michael Mcauliff: “Sen. DeMint watching 'nation's pennies' like a wealthy jew, write S.C. GOP pols” LINK

FIRST LADY, MICHELLE OBAMA:

NY Daily News David Saltonstall: Michelle Obama to appear on NBC's 'Jay Leno Show' on Friday” LINK

SARAH PALIN:

Newsweek’s Howard Fineman: “The Sarah Palin Show. First Stop: Oprah.” LINK

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT:

The Los Angeles Times' Jim Tankersley and Josh Meyer: “Shale probe announced” LINK

USA Today's Sharon Silke Carty: "Carmakers back more fuel economy, but seek flexibility" LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

ABC News: “Closing Arguments: Does the ‘Smart Choice’ Label Mislead?” LINK

Politico’s Jonathan Martin: “One last face-off in Va. contest” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Douglas Belkin: “Top Aide to Testify Against Blagojevich” LINK

Newsweek’s Katie Connolly “Why So Few D.C. Residents Are Married” LINK

The Associated Press: "Alternative bill considered on doctors’ fees" LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“Reid: No Decision Made Yet on Public Option” LINK

“GOP Sen. Calls Doc Fix a 'Ponzi Scheme'” LINK

“Afghanistan Runoff Election” LINK

“Obama Applauds Karzai for Accepting Afghan Runoff” LINK