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 Digital News Associates Jayce Henderson, Jacqueline Fernandez and Desk Assistant Amanda VanAllen

PRESIDENT OBAMA: The New York Times’ Helene Cooper: “ Black Support for Obama Is Steady and Strong” Abdul Malik seems the prototype of a disenchanted Barack Obama voter. Mr. Malik, 48, lost his job as a grading and landscape worker a year and a half ago, another victim of the housing bust. Since then, he has been searching for something, anything, to help make ends meet. LINK

G.O.P.: ABC News’ Susan Archer: “ Herman Cain: ‘I Gotta Fight Romneycare and Get the Nomination’” Herman Cain skipped a RNC gala in Washington D.C. tonight to speak at the sold out Nueces County Republican Women’s Dinner in Corpus Christi. Following a private fundraiser in his honor, Cain talked about his 9-9-9 plan and railed against the Obama administration and a healthcare plan he said the American people did not want. LINK

The Washington Post’s Peter Wallsten: “ Marco Rubio on national ticket could be risky bet for Republican Party” Republicans who are eager to repair the party’s battered image among Hispanic voters and unseat President Obama next year have long promoted a single-barrel solution to their two-pronged problem: putting Sen. Marco Rubio on the national ticket. LINK

The Washington Times’ Valerie Richardson: “ Perry opposed Confederate license plate design” After declining for months to tip his hand, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, under pressure from civil rights leaders, said Wednesday that he opposes a proposed state license plate depicting the Confederate battle flag. LINK

Politico’s Jennifer Haberkorn: “ Mitt Romney may be haunted by Massachusetts health care costs” Mitt Romney’s health care albatross isn’t just the similarity between his Massachusetts health care overhaul and President Barack Obama’s health reform law.It’s also the fact that Massachusetts still has the highest health costs in the country — even after the reforms Romney signed into law as governor. LINK

USA Today’s Alan Gomez: “ GOP aims to become simpatico with 50 million Hispanics” Fidelia Ramirez Friedman already has a tough time convincing Hispanics in her Pennsylvania community that the Republican Party is truly in line with their ideals. LINK

New York Daily News’ Alison Gendar: “ Mitt Romney, GOP front-runner in four early-voting states polling, hailed by DC Republicans” Mitt Romney got the front-runner treatment from Congressional Republicans Wednesday, as the latest polls show him ahead in four early-voting states. LINK

DEMOCRATS: The Hill’s Erik Wasson: “ Dems seek $1T tax hike, $3T deficit cut from supercommittee” Democrats have proposed more than $1 trillion of tax increases in a $3 trillion deficit-reduction plan that they dropped with a thud onto the negotiating table of Congress’s supercommittee. LINK

OTHER: The Wall Street Journal’s Janet Hook and Corey Boles: “ Parties Trade Deficit Plans” Republicans and Democrats on the congressional supercommittee Wednesday swapped ambitious plans to reduce the federal deficit but remained at odds over the core question of whether a major tax increase should be included as well as significant spending cuts in Medicare and Medicaid, according to congressional aides. LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS: “ Student Loan Forgiveness: Obama’s Debt Solutions” LINK

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