The Note's Must-Reads for Wednesday, October 17, 2012

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, Amanda VanAllen, Carrie Halperin and Danielle Genet

FACT CHECKING ABC News' Abby Phillip: " Internet Takes Off With Mitt Romney's 'Binders Full of Women'" Despite all the fireworks over taxes, oil and Libya, the most buzz-worthy social media moment of Tuesday night's presidential debate was Republican nominee Mitt Romney's comment about "binders full of women." The inadvertently funny comment came in response to a question about pay equity for women from a member of the audience of the debate between Romney and President Obama at Hofstra University. LINK

The Boston Globe's Beth Healy: " Fact check: Romney's record of hiring women" During the second presidential debate, Mitt Romney touted his efforts to hire women as governor of Massachusetts. "We took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet. LINK

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE ABC News' Russell Goldman: " Obama and Romney in Heated Presidential Debate Over Libya, Energy" Circling each other like boxers at times and looking one another in the eye, President Obama and Mitt Romney came out swinging as soon as tonight's debate began, sparring over Libya, energy production, and an assault weapons ban. LINK

The Hills' Julian Pecquet: " Moderator Crowley helps Obama rebut Romney on Libya" President Obama had the help of moderator Candy Crowley during Tuesday's second presidential debate when rebutting an argument from Mitt Romney about his administration's response to last month's attack in Libya. Romney and congressional Republicans for weeks have been lambasting the president for taking too long to qualify the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that left four Americans dead on Sept. 11 as a result of terrorism. LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Paul West and Seema Mehta: " A sharper tone in second presidential debate" In a town-hall-style debate that was supposed to focus on questions from ordinary voters, President Obama and Mitt Romney circled each other on the stage and engaged in finger-pointing displays, arguing over energy, immigration and the deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. Obama ducked a question from audience member Kerry Ladka about who in the administration had denied a request for extra diplomatic security in Libya, and why. LINK

The New York Daily News' Jonathan Lemire: " Presidential debate: Recharged Obama, Mitt Romney tangle in contentious duel at Hofstra" A recharged President Obama fought back Tuesday night in his second debate with Mitt Romney, defending his record while painting his Republican challenger as an out-of-touch corporate raider. Romney gave no ground, repeatedly branding the Obama presidency as a failure, pressing his attack that the middle class "has been crushed over the last four years." LINK

The New York Times' Jim Rutenberg and Jeff Zeleny: " Rivals Bring Bare Fists to Rematch" President Obama and Mitt Romney engaged Tuesday in one of the most intensive clashes in a televised presidential debate, with tensions between them spilling out in interruptions, personal rebukes and accusations of lying as they parried over the last four years under Mr. Obama and what the next four would look like under a President Romney. LINK

The Washington Post's Karen Tumulty and Philip Rucker: " With stakes high, Obama hits back at Romney in a fiery second debate" A far more aggressive President Obama showed up for his second debate with Mitt Romney on Tuesday, and at moments their town-hall-style engagement felt more like a shouting match than a presidential debate. The two men insistently challenged each other on the facts, talked over each other and stalked each other across the stage. LINK

Politico's Maggie Haberman: " 6 takeways from the debate" President Barack Obama stopped the bleeding, Mitt Romney stayed in the game, and the 2012 race remains very competitive after the second presidential debate. The two men sparred at Long Island's Hofstra University in front of a crowd of undecided voters who got to ask questions during a spirited and often angry exchange over 90 minutes. LINK

Bloomberg's Kristin Jensen and Hans Nichols: " Obama Says Romney Words Aren't 'True' in Second Debate" President Barack Obama repeatedly challenged the truth of challenger Mitt Romney's statements as the two battled over the auto industry bailout, energy policy and last month's attack in Libya in their second debate. "What Governor Romney said just isn't true," Obama said last night after the Republican presidential nominee said he opposed bailing out carmakers because he wanted the industry to go through the same type of bankruptcy other big companies that have survived went through. LINK

SUPER PACS The Wall Street Journal's Brody Mullins and Natafali Bendavid: " GOP Super PACs Increase Spending to Defend House" Pro-Republican super PACs and allied interest groups plan to spend tens of millions of dollars in an 11th-hour advertising blitz aimed at safeguarding the GOP's majority in the House. The spending spree in the campaign's final weeks would overtake what until now had been a cash advantage by Democratic interest-groups in House races. LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS " Second Presidential Debate 2012 Recap" LINK "Obama Wins Second Presidential Debate on 'Populist Intent" LINK

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