The Note’s Must-Reads for Wednesday, December 2, 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, HIS ADDRESS TO THE NATION & AFGHANISTAN:

ABC News: “FULL TRANSCRIPT: President Obama’s Speech on Afghanistan” LINK

ABC News: “Closing Arguments: Obama’s War Push” LINK

ABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf: “Obama Afghan Plan Takes Fire in Senate From Right and Left” LINK

ABC News’ Karen Travers, Jake Tapper, and Huma Khan: “President Obama: U.S. Troops to Afghanistan at ‘Fastest Pace Possible’” LINK

Politico’s Alexander Burns: “Speaker’s take on war plan” LINK

Politico’s David Rogers: “Afghan uncertainty on right and left” LINK

Politico’s Ben Smith: “Obama’s speech: A sober call for a limited Afghan mission” LINK

Politico’s Staff: “Pundits react: Obama’s speech” LINK

The Washington Times’ Mathew Mosk and Tom LoBianco: “Obama pledges to avoid repeat of Vietnam” LINK

The New York Times' Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Helene Cooper: "Obama Adds Troops, but Maps Exit Plan" LINK

The New York Times' Dexter Filkins: "With Troop Pledge, new Demands on Afghans" LINK

The New York Times' Peter Baker and Adam Nagourney: "Two Messages for Two Sides" LINK

The Washington Post's Scott Wilson: "Obama: U.S. security is still at stake" LINK

The Washington Post's Dan Balz: "With speech, president makes the conflict truly his own" LINK

The Washington Post's Paul Kane: "The Puzzle for Congress: How to pay for the plan" LINK

Newsweek's Jon Meacham: "The Obama Doctrine" LINK

Newsweek's Katie Connolly: "News From The Speech Depends on Your Politics" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Spiegel, Jonathan Weisman and Yochi J. Dreazen: “Obama Bets Big on Troop Surge” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Wallsten: “Critics From Across the Spectrum Rip Plan” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Yochi J. Dreazen: “With Key Role, Gates Stands to Get Credit — or Blame” LINK

Bloomberg’s Viola Gienger and James Rowley: “Obama’s 2011 Afghan Drawdown Target Splits Lawmakers” LINK

Bloomberg’s Eltaf Najafizada and James Rupert: “Afghans Skeptical of Obama Troop Vow as Taliban Gain in North” LINK

Bloomberg’s Julianna Goldman and Nicholas Johnston: “Obama Calls Afghan War ‘Vital’ Interest in Appeal for Support” LINK

The Hill's Sam Youngman: “Obama calls on country to unite in Afghanistan fight against al-Qaeda" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Greg Miller and Julian E. Barnes and Christi Parsons: “Obama vows to break Taliban" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Greg Miller and Julian E. Barnes and Christi Parsons: “Obama's Afghanistan strategy counts on time as an ally" LINK

The New York Daily News' James Gordon Meek and Richard Sisk: “President Obama pleads his case for sending more troops to Afghanistan in West Point speech" LINK

USA Today's Ken Dilanian: "Obama's nominee lays out new plans for USAID" LINK

The Associated Press' Sharon Theimer: "White House public relations team aims bad news for fewest ears" LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Intelligence: "Kerry offers qualified support to Obama" LINK

Time's Michael Scherer: "Obama's Speech: Will the Plan Match the Stagecraft?" LINK

Time's Mark Thompson: "What Obama Left Out: How to Grow the Afghan Army" LINK

Time's Jay Newton-Small: "Congress's Tepid Reaction to Obama's Afghanistan Plan" LINK

USA Today's Susan Page and Kathy Kiely: "Dems balk at deployment plan" LINK

USA Today's Mimi Hall: "Obama vows 30,000 troops for Afghan war" LINK

USA Today's Rick Hampson: "West Point offers gravitas, rapt audience" LINK

USA Today's The Oval: "Play-by-Play of President Obama's Speech" LINK

USA Today's The Oval: "Obama: Afghans ultimately 'responsible for their own country'" LINK

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

The Boston Globe's Farah Stockman and Michael Kranish: "Obama to add 30,000 troops, begin Afghan pullout in 2011" LINK

The Boston Globe's Susan Milligan and Lisa Wangsness: "Democrats wary of the commitment" LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION:

The Wall Street Journal’s Damian Paletta: “Black Caucus, White House Standoff Continues” LINK

OTHER FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

The New York Times' Robert Worth: "Iran's Plan to Phase Out Subsidies Brings Frenzied Debate" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s José De Córdoba and David Luhnow: “U.S. Faces Rising Resistance to Its Latin American Policy” LINK

MILITARY DEFENSE:

The New York Times' Campbell Robertson and Ray Rivera: "Strain of Military Service Meets Resolve" LINK

HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL:

The Washington Times’ Jennifer Haberkorn: “Lawmakers set to make health bill changes” LINK

The New York Times' Pam Belluck: "American Indians Stands to gain in Health Overhaul" LINK

The New York Times' Robert Pear and David Herszenhorn: "Senators Pitch to Women and Elderly on Health Bill" LINK

The Washington Post's Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery: "Senators express hope for a health reform bill" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy: “Health-Bill Amendments Court Women, Seniors” LINK

Bloomberg’s Laura Litvan and Kristin Jensen: “Republicans Challenge Proposed Medicare Cuts in Health Debate” LINK

The Hill's Jeffrey Young: “Centrists pleased with health cost projection" LINK

The Associated Press' Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Erica Werner: "Senators clash over health plan’s effects" LINK

CONGRESS:

Politico’s Jonathan Martin: “Martha Coakley a target in Mass. Senate debate” LINK

Politico’s Josh Kraushaar and Jessica Taylor: “Blue Dog Tanner to retire from House” LINK

G.O.P.:

The Washington Times’ Ralph Z. Hallow: “RNC members brawl over candidate funding” LINK

GITMO:

ABC News’ Devin Dwyer: “Guantanamo Detainees Transferred to France, Hungary” LINK

WHITE HOUSE DINNER CRASHERS:

ABC News’ Pierre Thomas, Devin Dwyer, and Yunji de Nies: “E-Mails Show Sajahis Never Got White House State Dinner Invite From Pentagon” LINK

Politico’s Amie Parnes: “W.H. Liason Implicated In Emails?” LINK

The New York Times' Ginger Thompson an Brian Stelter: "Don't call Us Crashers, Couple Says" LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Notebook: "White House crashers spur policy change" LINK

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

ECONOMY / JOBS / STIMULUS:

USA Today's Joan Biskupic: "Case concerns student loans, bankruptcy" LINK

Reuters' John Parry: "Economy shuffling toward recovery, reports indicate" LINK

AUTO INDUSTRY / GENERAL MOTORS:

USA Today's On Deadline: "General Motors CEO Henderson resigns" LINK

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE:

ABC News’ Teddy Davis: “Gay Marriage Gets Thumbs Up in Nation’s Capital” LINK

The Washington Times’ David C. Lipscomb: “D.C. gay marriage one step closer” LINK

The Washington Post's Tim Craig: "District approves same-sex marriage" LINK

MIKE HUCKABEE:

The Washington Post's Perry Bacon Jr. and garance Franke-Ruta: "After police killings, Huckabee defends clemency for suspect" LINK

ENVIRONMENT:

The Washington Post's Rama Lakshmi: "Moves by U.S., China induce India to do its bit on climate" LINK

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

OTHER MUST-READS:

The Wall Street Journal’s Jon Hilsenrath: “Fed Debates New Role: Bubble Fighter” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Sudeep Reddy: “Fed Faces Grilling on Consumer-Protection Lapses” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Corey Dade: “Recount Is Likely for Atlanta Race” LINK

The Associated Press: "D.C. council gives initial OK to gay marriage" LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“Full Obama Address on Afghanistan” LINK

“Obama Announces Sending Troops to Afghanistan” LINK

“Obama Party Crashers Say They Were Invited” LINK

“Obama's Afghanistan Strategy” LINK

“Tapper on Obama's Troop Deployment” LINK