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' Carrie Halperin, Amanda VanAllen, Jayce Henderson and Will Cantine

PRESIDENT OBAMA

ABC News' Mary Bruce: " President Obama Thanks Military Heroes at Fourth of July Celebration" President Obama paid tribute to America's men and women in uniform tonight as he kicked off the White House Fourth of July celebration, telling service members gathered on the South Lawn that they "represent what is best in America." "You serve under our proud flag. You and your families sacrifice more than most of us can ever know - all in defense of those God-given rights that were first put to paper 236 years ago: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," he said. LINK

Politico's Edward-Isaac Dovere: " President Obama: Historian-in-chief" Every president is fascinated with presidential history. But President Barack Obama interest is deeper and wider than most, and more public. He's invoked Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt and even Richard Nixon. He's mocked Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B. Hayes. LINK

USA Today's David Jackson: " Obama Rolls Out Bus Campaign In Rust Belt States Ohio, Pa." It's back on the bus for President Obama on Thursday. From the glass factories of Toledo, to the steel mills around Pittsburgh, Obama will lead a two-day bus tour of key areas in two states that are central to his re-election bid: northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. LINK

The Hill's Ian Swanson: " Marine Corps band plays Romney song on White House lawn" A subset of the Marine Corps band struck up one of Mitt Romney's walkout songs while President Obama was greeting visitors at the White House Independence Day celebration. A White House pool report said the band struck up Rodney Atkins's "It's America," and described it as an "awkward moment." LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Mitchell Landsberg: " Mitt Romney says healthcare plan's individual mandate is a tax" contradicting one of his senior advisors, Mitt Romney said Wednesday that the individual mandate in President Obama's healthcare plan is a tax, and stands as evidence that Obama has broken a promise not to raise taxes on the middle class. LINK

MITT ROMNEY

The New York Times' Jeremy W. Peters: " Romney Now Says Health Mandate by Obama Is a Tax" Mitt Romney declared on Wednesday that President Obama's health care mandate was in fact a tax, shifting his campaign's characterization of the law and aligning himself with the conservative voices in his party. Mr. Romney's remarks, made in a hastily arranged interview with CBS News on a national holiday, prompted renewed criticisms that he was willing to adjust his views for political expediency. LINK

The Wall Street Journal's Sara Murray: " Romney Adds to Health-Tax Fireworks" Mitt Romney said Wednesday that the U.S. health care law's penalty is a tax, breaking with one of his top aides and further muddling the lines between the Massachusetts health-care plan he championed and the federal version he opposes. LINK

The Boston Globe's Christopher Rowland: " Mitt Romney calls health care mandate a tax" Mitt Romney Wednesday reversed the position staked out by his own campaign just two days before and said the penalty levied against Americans who do not buy health insurance under President Obama's health care overhaul is "a tax." The Supreme Court ruled last week that the enforcement mechanism for the individual mandate in the 2010 health care expansion - a penalty payment made to the Internal Revenue Service - qualifies as a tax. LINK

2012 RACE

The Washington Times' Dave Boyer: " Millions of dollars spent in clash over jobs records" With four months to go until Election Day, President Obama's well-funded campaign on the airwaves is focusing on two broad themes: that he is a fighter for the middle class who needs more time to finish the job, and that Republican rival Mitt Romney is obsessed with corporate profits to the point of being borderline unpatriotic. LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEO

Malia Obama Turns 14: Candidates Use Kids in Campaign LINK

Get more pure politics at ABC News.com/Politics and a lighter take on the news at OTUSNews.com

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