The Note’s Must-Reads for Tuesday, December 1, 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’ JAYCE HENDERSON, PETER MARTINEZ, KRISTEN RED-HORSE, CLAUDIA MORALES and CARRIE HALPERIN

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PRESIDENT OBAMA AND AFGHANISTAN:

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “The President’s Upcoming Afghan War Strategy Speech” LINK

ABC News’ Jake Tapper and Huma Khan: “Breaking: White House Says ‘Era of Blank Check’ Is Over for Afghan President Karzai” LINK

Politico’s David Rogers: “Democrats ‘nervous’ about Afghanistan plan” LINK

The Washington Times’ Tom LoBianco and Mathew Mosk: “Obama set to Sell Afghan War strategy” LINK

The New York Times’ Eric Schmitt: “Obama Issues Order for More Troops in Afghanistan” LINK

The Washington Post’s Keith Richburg: “A test for the blocks needed to rebuild a nation” LINK

The Washington Post’s Karen DeYoung and Scott Wilson: “34,000 troops will be sent to Afghanistan” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Weisman and Peter Spiegel: “U.S. Opts for Limited Surge” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Yochi J. Dreazen and August Cole: “Fight Looms on How to Pay for New War Plan” LINK

Bloomberg’s Hans Nichols and Indira A.R. Lakshmanan: “Obama’s Troop Increase Means He Now ’Owns’ Unpopular Afghan War” LINK

USA Today's The Oval: "Obama and Afghanistan: One speech, many agendas" LINK

USA Today: "Obama's words on Afghanistan" LINK

The Associated Press' Jennifer Loven: "Obama to detail Afghanistan war expansion" LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION:

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “The West Point Speech” LINK

ABC News’ Sunlen Miller: “Before World AIDS Day, Obama Administration Scored D+ from Global AIDS Groups” LINK

Politico’s John F. Harris: “7 stories Barack Obama doesn’t want told” LINK

Politico’s Mike Allen and Jim Vandehei: “Dick Cheney slams President Obama for projecting ‘weakness’ LINK

The Washington Times’ Joseph Curl: “Obama learning the presidential art of ducking the media” LINK

Bloomberg Commentary by Amity Shlaes: “Obama’s Losses to Palin Might Make Him a Truman” LINK

USA Today's Susan Page: "President Obama takes on ambitious December agenda" LINK

OTHER FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

Politico’s Andy Barr: “Maurice Hinchey: George W. Bush ‘intentionally’ lost Osama Bin Laden” LINK

ECONOMY/JOBS/HOUSING/STIMULUS:

The Wall Street Journal’s Joseph B. White: “CBO: 600,000 to 1.6 Million Employed by Stimulus” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Ruth Simon: “Guidelines Aim to Ease Short Sales” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Ruth Simon: “Some Borrowers Find Little Relief” LINK

The Boston Globe's Erin Ailworth: "$68m in solar rebates goes fast" LINK

HEALTH CARE:

ABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf: “Senate Health Care Roadmap: Hurry Up and Wait” LINK

The Washington Times’ Jennifer Haberkorn: “Tax talk kicks off Senate health care debate” LINK

The New York Times’ Robert Pear and David Herszenhorn: “No Big Cost Rise in U.S. Premiums Is Seen in Study” LINK

The Washington Post’s Lori Montgomery: “Senate health bill gets a boost” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Janet Adamy and Greg Hitt: “Some Health Premiums to Rise” LINK

Bloomberg’s Alex Nussbaum: “Health-Insurance Costs Won’t Rise for Most in U.S., Study Finds” LINK

USA Today's Kathy Kiely: "Reid sees a holiday blitz on health bill" LINK

USA Today: "Q&A: Pressing concerns on health care legislation" LINK

USA Today: "'We have before us a historic opportunity'" LINK

USA Today's John Fritze: "Report predicts level premiums for those insured through work" LINK

The Boston Globe's David Abel: "Patrick Kennedy holds his fire" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Janet Hook: "Healthcare debate is officially on in the Senate" LINK

ARMED FORCES:

The Boston Globe's Michael Kranish and Joseph Williams: "Kerry close to supporting troop buildup" LINK

SUPREME COURT:

USA Today's Joan Biskupic: "Supreme Court hears case on whistle-blower lawsuits" LINK

The Associated Press: "High court denies detainee photo bid" LINK

PENTAGON:

USA Today's Gregg Zoroya: "Pentagon targets inside threats" LINK

G.O.P.:

Politico’s Jonathan Martin: “GOP establishment scorns purity test” LINK

ENVIRONMENT:

Newsweek’s Katie Connolly: “Obama Should Take Note of Aussie P.M.’s Climate-Change Travails” LINK

SENATE:

Politico’s Carrie Budoff Brown: “Sharp tones kick off Senate debate” LINK

STATE DINNER CRASHERS:

Bloomberg’s Jeff Bliss and Kate Andersen Brower: “Official Denies Offering Couple Tickets to White House Dinner” LINK

The Associated Press' Eileen Sullivan: "Defense official communicated with WH crashers" LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Notebook: "Dinner crashers on Congress’s list" LINK

Time's Michael Scherer: "Piling On Desirée Rogers–Is The Social Secretary To Blame For Two Ticketless Boobs At The White House?" LINK

Time's Randy James: "Could the White House Party Crashers Go To Jail?" LINK

The Hill's Eric Zimmermann: "Invite for crashers… testify on the Hill" LINK

MIKE HUCKABEE:

The New York Times’ Kate Zernike: “Old Clemency May Be Issue for Huckabee” LINK

The Washington Post’s Perry Bacon Jr. and Garance Franke-Ruta: “Huckabee’s pardons at issue after police killings” LINK

Bloomberg Commentary by Margaret Carlson: “Huckabee Lesson Is Execution Beats Pardons” LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Intelligence: "Huckabee blames system for alleged cop killer" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Mark Z. Barabak and Nicholas Riccardi: "Mike Huckabee defends freeing convict wanted in Washington police shootings" LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

The New York Times’ Peter Baker: “Chelsea Clinton Announces Engagement” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Suzanne Sataline: “New Jersey Likely Next to Legalize Medical Marijuana” LINK

USA Today's Fredreka Schouten: "House posts lawmakers' expense data" LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“Tapper on Obama's Marching Orders” LINK

“Obama's Strategy for Afghanistan” LINK

“Health Care Compromises” LINK