The Note’s Must-Reads for Thursday, December 17, 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, JAYCE HENDERSON, CARRIE HALPERIN CLAUDIA MORALES and JESSICA HOPPER

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HEALTH CARE:

ABC News’ Karen Travers: “President Obama Defends Senate Health Care Bill, Says It Will Pass” LINK

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “White House Says Howard Dean’s Arguments Against Democrats’ Health Care Reform ‘Simply Weren’t True,’ Suggests He’s Not Rational” LINK

ABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf and Huma Khan: “Senate Health Care Debate Stalls as Republicans Invoke Delay Tactics” LINK

The New York Times’ Robert Pear: “In Senate Health Showdown, Round Goes to G.O.P.” LINK

The Washington Post’s David Hilzenrath: “Senate plan is called too empowering to health insurers” LINK

The Washington Times’ Jennifer Haberkorn: “Dems Recraft health Bill To Win Passage” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Janet Hook: “Health bill held up by single Democrat and GOP tactics” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Greg Hitt: “Reid Fights for 60th Vote on Health Bill” LINK

Bloomberg’s Kristin Jensen and Laura Litvan: “Health-Care Deadline Challenged by Republican Stalling Tactics” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Shailagh Murray: “GOP vows to stall Senate health vote” LINK

USA Today: “Obama: U.S. ‘will go bankrupt’ without health care bill” LINK

Politico’s Carrie Budoff Brown: “Vote by Christmas in peril” LINK

CONGRESS:

The New York Times’ Carl Hulse: “Bills Pass on Debt and War Funds” LINK

The Washington Times’ Sean Lengell: “Democrats’ ads target House GOP on finance bill vote” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Corey Boles: “House Narrowly Passes $290 Billion Increase in Debt Limit” LINK

Bloomberg’s Brian Faler: “U.S. House Approves $154 Billion Jobs Bill, Debt Limit Increase” LINK

Bloomberg’s Mark Drajem: “‘Buy American’ Rules Strengthened in U.S. Measure” LINK

The Hill’s Mike Soraghan and Jared Allen: “House narrowly passes Pelosi’s $174B jobs bill” LINK

The Hill’s Mike Soraghan: “House votes 218-214 for short-term debt ceiling increase” LINK

COPENHAGEN / ENVIRONMENT:

The Washington Times’ Edward Felker: “U.S., China Deadlock Copenhagen” LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Jim Tankersley: “Obama will be in climate spotlight in Copenhagen” LINK

Bloomberg’s Jeremy van Loon and Christian Wienberg: “Danish Premier Takes Charge to Save ‘Messy’ UN Climate Talks” LINK

Politico’s Glenn Thrush: “Copenhagen Connection” LINK

Politico’s Staff: “Obama may have message for China” LINK

Politico’s Glenn Thursh: “Pelosi taking 20 House members to Copenhagen” LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION:

The Washington Times’ S.A. Miller: “Left Out: Liberals Frustrated By Obama’s Compromises” LINK

ECONOMY / JOBS / STIMULUS:

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “No New Tax Break for Citi?” LINK

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “White House Outlines Next Six Months of Stimulus Efforts” LINK

Politico’s Eamon Javers: “Treasury won’t sell Citi stock yet” LINK

FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

The New York Times’ James Glanz and Richard Oppel Jr.: “U.N. Officials Say American Aide Plotted to Replace Karzai” LINK

The Washington Post’s Paul Kane: “Pelosi says rallying votes for troop surge in Afghanistan will be Obama’s job” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Chip Cummins: “Iran Tests New Version of Missile that Can Reach Europe, Israel” LINK

DEMOCRATS / REPUBLICANS:

The Washington Post’s Robert Kaiser: “Republican Sen. Richard Shelby fights for financial regulatory reform” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Brian Mooney: “Brown hopes issues give him an opening” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Wallsten: “Democrats’ Blues Grow Deeper in New Poll” LINK

The Boston Globe’s Brian Mooney: “Brown hopes issues give him an opening” LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

The New York Times’ Charlie Savage and Scott Shane: “Intelligence Collected on U.S. Citizens” LINK

The Washington Times’ Tom LoBianco: “Blacks Seek Urban Efforts For Census” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Siobhan Gorman, Yochi J. Dreazen and August Cole: “Insurgents Hack U.S. Drones” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s John D. Mckinnon and Martin Vaughan: “Effort to Extend Estate Tax Fails” LINK

USA Today’s Tom Vanden Brook and Ken Dilanian: “Gates orders review of military mentor program” LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEO:

“Sanders Calls GOP ‘Delay Tactic’ and ‘Outrage’” LINK

“Obama: Must Support Health Care Bill” LINK

“Health Care: Will There Be a Deal?” LINK