The Note’s Must-Reads for Tuesday, December 29, 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, CLAUDIA MORALES and CARRIE HALPERIN

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:

Politico’s Andy Barr: “S.C. AG: Nelson deal ‘corruption’” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Ianthe Jeanne Dugan: “Despite Subsidy, Cobra’s Bite Still Stings for Many” LINK

The New York Times’ Robert Pear: “Expanding Health Coverage and Shoring Up Medicare: Is It Double-Counting?” LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA:

USA Today’s On Deadline: “Obama rushes from golf game, citing ‘personal matter’” LINK

The Associated Press’ Julie Pace: “CAPITAL CULTURE: Big first year leaves Obama tired” LINK

Time’s Mark Halperin: “A Report Card on Obama’s First Year” LINK

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “Obama Administration Calls BS on Al Qaeda Claim” LINK

Politico’s Glenn Thrush and Martin Kady II: “GOP seizes on terror issue” LINK

Politico’s Carol E. Lee: “Obama heads back to the links” LINK

The New York Daily News’ Michael Saul: “Ambulance called to Obama’s Hawaiian vacation home after child of family friend hurt in accident” LINK

Newsweek’s Daniel Stone: “Obama Rushed in Dramatic Motorcade While Vacationing in Hawaii” LINK

Newsweek’s Sarah Kliff: “Obama’s Smart Sex Education Funding” LINK

AIR SCARE / TERRORISM:

ABC News’ Richard Esposito and Brian Ross: “Exclusive: Photos of the Northwest Airlines Bomb” LINK

ABC News’ Brian Ross, Joseph Rhee and Rehab El-Buri: “Two al Qaeda Leaders Behind Northwest Flight 253 Terror Plot Were Releases by U.S.” LINK

ABC News’ Pierre Thomas, Tahman Bradley and Huma Khan: “Obama: ‘We Will Not Rest’ Until Perpetrators of Airline Attack Are Found” LINK

Politico’s Carol E. Lee: “Obama: ‘Full investigation’ launched” LINK

USA Today’s Thomas Frank: “New call for faster, more thorough airport body scans” LINK

Boston Globe’s Katie Johnston Chase and Noah Bierman: “Logan to get full-body scanning device” LINK

The Associated Press’ Eileen Sullivan: “Key security agencies lack permanent leaders” LINK

Boston Globe’s Political Intelligence: “Obama pledges action on terrorism scare” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Spiegel and Jay Solomon in Washington and Margaret Coker in Abu Dhabi: “Al Qaeda Takes Credit for Plot” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Wallsten and Elizabeth Williamson: “Obama Ends Silence With Stern Warning” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Perez, Cam Simpson and Siobhan Gorman: “U.S. Authorities Missed Terror-Threat Signs” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Cam Simpson, Evan Perez and Siobhan Gorman: “Terror Watch Lists Come Under Scrutiny” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Alistair Macdonald and Dana Cimilluca: “U.K. Visa Policy Didn’t Flag Suspect” LINK

Bloomberg’s Nicholas Johnston and Roger Runningen: “Obama Vows ‘Pressure’ as Al-Qaeda Says it Planned Plane Attack” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Josh Meyer and Peter Nicholas: “Obama calls jet incident a ‘serious reminder’” LINK

The Washington Post’s Margaret Talev: “Republican senator DeMint holds up nomination for TSA chief” LINK

The New York Times’ Peter Baker and Scott Shane: “Obama Seeks to Reassure U.S. After Bombing Attempt” LINK

The Washington Post’s Philip Rucker and Julie Tate: “In online posts apparently by Detroit suspect, religious ideals collide” LINK

Newsweek’s Tim Fernholz: “Do We Need 30,000 Troops in Yemen, or A Better Counter-Terror Strategy?” LINK

FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

Time’s Tim McGirk: “One Year Since Israel’s Offensive, Gaza Still Suffers” LINK

Politico’s Carol E. Lee: “Obama demands rights in Iran” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jaeyeon Woo: “North Korea Detains U.S. Activist” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Anand Gopal: “Karzai Says International Raid Hit Civilians” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Borzou Daragahi: “Iran clamps down on protests” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Laura King: “U.S. airstrike reportedly kills 10 Afghan civilians” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Edmund Sanders: “White House decries Israel’s plan to build homes in East Jerusalem” LINK

ECONOMY / BAILOUT / FINANCE:

USA Today’s Fredreka Schouten: “Financial sector ups lobbying effort over new regulation plan” LINK

DEMOCRATS/REPUBLICANS:

The Wall Street Journal’s Stephanie Simon: “Senate Race Splits Colorado Democrats” LINK

JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR:

USA Today’s Joan Biskupic: “Sotomayor keeps community bonds tight” LINK

JFK HOAX PHOTO:

USA Today’s On Deadline: “‘Exclusive’ photo of JFK with naked woman a hoax” LINK

ENVIRONMENT:

The Washington Times’ Edward Felker: “Plan to turn farms into forest worries official” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Stephanie Simon and Russell Gold: “Snow-Removal Bills Leave States Scrambling” LINK

OTHER:

USA Today’s Ken Dilanian, Tom Vanden Brook and Ray Locker: “Colorado firm employs the most retired officers as mentors” LINK

The Washington Time’s S.A. Miller: “N.Y. Sen. Gillibrand appears safe” LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“Obama on Terror Plot: Americans Should Be Vigilant” LINK

“GOP and Dem Strategists Go Head-to-Head” LINK

“Red Flags Missed?” LINK

“Obama on Iran Crackdown: We Will Bear Witness” LINK

“Is Yemen the New Terror Front?” LINK