The Note’s Must-Reads for Thursday, November 19, 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 PETER MARTINEZ, JAYCE HENDERSON, KRISTEN RED-HORSE, CARRIE HALPERIN and CLAUDIA MORALES

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

Follow ABC News on Twitter: LINK

ABC News Mobile: LINK

ABC News app on your iPhone/iPod Touch: LINK

HEALTH CARE:

ABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf and Huma Khan: “Senate Democrats’ Health Care Bill Will Cost $849 Billion” LINK

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “Ben Nelson Ready to Let Health Debate Begin” LINK

Politico’s Manu Raju: “Lieberman slams public option; taunts critics” LINK

The Hill’s Jeffrey Young: “Senate Dems take $849B step toward healthcare reform” LINK

The Hill’s Mike Soraghan: “Jesse Jackson: ‘You can’t vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man’” LINK

The New York Daily News’ Kenneth R. Bazinet: “NEJM: Health Industry Throwing Cash at DC Pols” LINK

The New York Times’ Robert Pear and David Herszenhorn: “Senate Health Plan Seeks to Add Coverage to $31 Million” LINK

The Washington Post’s Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery: “Senate unveils health-care bill” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy: “Showdown Set for Health Bill” LINK

Bloomberg’s Laura Litvan and Kristin Jensen: “Reid $849 Billion Measure Widens Health Coverage, Cuts Deficit” LINK

Boston Globe’s Lisa Wangsness and Susan Milligan: “Senate health bill woos moderates” LINK

The Associated Press’ Erica Werner: “Senate girds for historic debate on health bill” LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA & FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

ABC News’ Jake Tapper and Yunji de Nies: “White House: We’re Not in the ‘Immediate Gratification Business’” LINK

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “President Obama Announces Date of Special Envoy Visit to North Korea” LINK

Politico’s Jeanne Cummings: “Obama rewards big donors with plum jobs overseas” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Laura King: “Karzai sworn in as Afghanistan president” LINK

The Washington Post’s Anne Kornblut: “Obama’s story infused Asia tour” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Weisman and Evan Ramstad: “Obama Vows to Push For Korea Trade Pact” LINK

Bloomberg’s Edwin Chen and Julianna Goldman: “Obama Pledges to Allay Concerns of Auto Lobby Over Korea Trade” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Lando: “Iraqi Veto Threatens Parliamentary Vote” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Chip Cummins and Jay Solomon: “Iran Imperils Western Nuclear Deal” LINK

USA Today’s The Oval: “Obama: From South Korea to health care” LINK

The Associated Press’ Jennifer Loven: “Obama says talks under way on Iran sanctions” LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA:

The Wall Street Journal’s Neil King Jr. and John Hechinger: “D.C. Schools Chief Targets Tenure” LINK

The Associated Press’ Mark Sherman: “Obama, revisiting Nixon, says 9/11 suspect guilty” LINK

AFGHANISTAN:

The New York Times’ Peter Baker and Mark Landler: “Obama Demands Results From Afghan Reforms” LINK

The Washington Post’s Joshua Partlow: “Clinton visits Afghanistan with message on corruption” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Spiegel and Yochi J. Dreazen: “Debate Shifts to Afghan Exit Plan” LINK

Bloomberg’s Indira A.R. Lakshmanan: “Karzai Vows Progress on Afghan Security, Corruption in New Term” LINK

The Associated Press: “Clinton: Afghan election needs to yield ‘results’” LINK

SENATOR JOHN McCAIN:

USA Today’s Ken Dilanian and Tom Vanden Brook: ” McCain wants review on defense work by retired brass” LINK

U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER:

The Hill’s Jordan Fabian: “House Dem: ‘Growing’ liberal consensus to dump Geithner” LINK

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: “Reid rolling out big guns to push healthcare bill to 60 needed votes” LINK

The Hill’s Kim Hart: “GOP leads media charge ” LINK

FORT HOOD:

The Washington Post’s Paul Kane: “Senators press Obama on Fort Hood probes” LINK

ECONOMY / JOBS / REGULATIONS / FORECLOSURES / STIMULUS:

ABC News’ Jonathan Karl and Matthew Jaffe: “GAO Says More Than 50,000 Jobs Claimed From Stimulus Projects That Have Spent No Money” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Don Lee and David Pierson: “U.S. in standoff with Beijing over Chinese currency” LINK

The New York Times’ Erik Eckholm: “Jobless Benefits Will Expire Unless Congress Acts” LINK

The Washington Post’s Brady Dennis: “Ambitious bills could remake financial regulatory landscape” LINK

USA Today’s Christine Dugas: “More members of middle class file for bankruptcy” LINK

USA Today’s Laura Petrecca: “Those with, without work to compete for seasonal jobs” LINK

USA Today’s Stephanie Armour: “Another wave of foreclosures looms” LINK

USA Today’s Jenn Abelson: “For stimulus funds, unlikely destinations” LINK

SARAH PALIN:

ABC News’ Steve Holland: “McCain Defends Campaign Team Against Palin” LINK

Politico’s Ben Smith: “Sarah Palin hits (book) trail” LINK

Politico’s Andy Barr: “Sarah Palin trashes ‘lamestream media’” LINK

ARMED FORCES:

The Hill’s Roxana Tiron: “Pentagon budget drop anticipated” LINK

CLIMATE/ENVIRONMENT:

The Hill’s Ben Geman: “Browner: U.S. in ‘good standing’ heading into Copenhagen talks” LINK

The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin: “U.S. and China reach accord on data collection” LINK

GITMO:

The Hill’s Molly K. Hooper: “GOP turns up the heat over bringing Gitmo prisoners to U.S. soil” LINK

The Washington Post’s Anne Kornblut: “Obama admits Guantanamo won’t close by Jan. deadline” LINK

CONGRESS:

Politico’s Eamon Javers: “Senate vetters dig deep” LINK

The Hill’s Silla Brush: “House Financial Services Committee OKs powers to break up large firms” LINK

The Washington Post’s Carrie Johnson: “Holder answers to 9/11 relatives about trials in U.S.” LINK

Newsweek’s Sarah Kliff: “Senate Bill restores Abstinence-Only Funding” LINK

USA Today’s Andrew M. Seaman: ” Sen. Byrd becomes longest-serving member of Congress” LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

The Los Angeles Times’ Richard Fausset: “Army Corps of Engineers blamed for Hurricane Katrina levee breaches” LINK

The New York Times’ Michael Moss: “Senate Bill Would Require E.Coli Testing” LINK

The New York Times’ Sam Roberts: “High Tech Tries to Lift Veil on 18 1/2 Tantalizing Minutes in Watergate” LINK

The Washington Post’s Ben Pershing: “Sen. Byrd breaks congressional longevity record” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Shirley S. Wang: “Breast Exam Guidelines Raise Furor” LINK

USA Today’s Liz Szabo: “Mammogram coverage won’t change, companies say” LINK

Time Magazine’s Karen Tumulty: “A Word About My Breasts” LINK

Time Magazine’s Kate Pickert: “Are Mammograms the New Political Football?” LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“Palin Fever Sweeps the Heartland” LINK

“AG on Terror Trails: ‘We Need Not Cower’” LINK

“Senate Celebrates Byrd, Longest-Serving Member” LINK

“Congress Grills Health Officials Over H1N1” LINK