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, Jayce Henderson, Will Cantine and Amanda VanAllen

DEBT CRISIS ABC News' Mary Bruce and Jeff Zeleny: " Potential Senate Deal Would Fund US To Jan, 15, Raise Debt Ceiling Through Feb. 15" The latest outline of a potential Senate deal to end the fiscal impasse and government shutdown calls for keeping the government funded until Jan. 15 and raising the debt limit through Feb. 15, congressional aides told ABC News today. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are spearheading the negotiations as the White House postponed a planned afternoon meeting with congressional leaders to give them time to do their work. LINK

ABC News' Gary Langer: "Disapproval Of GOP Peaks In Blame For The Budget Crisis" A new high of 74 percent of Americans disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling Washington's budget crisis, up significantly in the past two weeks and far exceeding disapproval of both President Obama and congressional Democrats on the issue. The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll finds that criticism of the GOP's handling of the budget dispute has grown by 11 percentage points since just before the partial government shutdown began, from 63 to 70 and now 74 percent - clearly leaving the party with the lion's share of blame. Indeed 54 percent now "strongly" disapprove. LINK

USA Today's David Jackson and Susan Davis: " Senators Say Debt, Shutdown Deal Is Near" Senate leaders said Monday they are close to an agreement to reopen government and avoid an unprecedented U.S. debt default before the Thursday deadline. "We hope with good fortune and the support of all you (senators) -recognizing how hard this is for everybody - that perhaps tomorrow will be a bright day," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Monday evening on the Senate floor. LINK

The Wall Street Journal's Kristina Peterson and Janet Hook: " Senate Leaders In Striking Distance Of A Deal" Top Senate leaders said they were within striking distance of an agreement Monday to reopen the federal government and defuse a looming debt crisis just days before the U.S. could run out of money to pay its bills. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) said on the Senate floor that the leaders had made "tremendous progress" toward a deal and that he was hopeful Tuesday would be a "bright day." The Senate's Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, seconded Mr. Reid's optimism. "We've had a good day," he said. LINK

The Boston Globe's Matt Viser: " Obama's vision of unity led only to a wider gap" In January 2010, just one year into his presidency, President Obama traveled from the White House to Capitol Hill to deliver his first State of the Union address. Health care was being debated, Republican Scott Brown had just been elected senator from Massachusetts, and the economy remained sluggish. With his presidency already at a crossroads, Obama returned to a theme that had guided his political career: He admonished both parties for their divisiveness, urged them to work together, and said he hadn't given up on trying to change the corrosive tone of the country's politics. LINK

The Washington Times' Dave Boyer: " Biden grasps for role in debt talks" For one brief shining moment on Monday, Vice President Joseph R. Biden was almost relevant again. Mr. Biden came roaring out of quasi-exile at Camp David Monday to take part in talks at the White House with congressional leaders aimed at ending the partial government shutdown and avoiding default. But before the vice president got his big chance to play the hero, the White House postponed the session to allow Senate negotiators more time to work out a deal. LINK

The Hill's Ramsey Cox: " Reid: Deal to end shutdown close, but 'not quite there yet'" Senate leaders on Monday said they've made substantial progress toward a fiscal deal, but don't have one yet. "Perhaps tomorrow will be a bright day," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said on the Senate floor. "[But] we're not quite there yet." LINK

Bloomberg's Richard Rubin, Kathleen Hunter & Chris Strohm: " Senate Leaders Cite Substantial Progress on Debt-Cap Deal" Senate Democratic and Republican leaders said they made significant progress toward an accord that would end a partial government shutdown and prevent the nation from breaching the U.S. debt ceiling in three days. The emerging agreement would suspend the debt limit through Feb. 7, 2014, fund the government through Jan. 15 and require a House-Senate budget conference by Dec. 13, according to a Senate source familiar with the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss them. LINK

The New York Times' Michael D. Shear and Jeremy W. Peters: " Senators Near Fiscal Deal, but the House Is Uncertain" Senate leaders neared the completion Monday night of a bipartisan deal to raise the debt ceiling and end the government shutdown while the rest of the world braced for the possibility of an American default that could set off a global financial disaster. Negotiators talked into the evening as senators from both parties coalesced around a plan that would lift the debt limit through Feb. 7, pass a resolution to finance the government through Jan. 15 and conclude formal discussions on a long-term tax and spending plan no later than Dec. 13, according to one Senate aide briefed on the plan. LINK

The Washington Post's Lori Montgomery and Rosalind S. Helderman: " Senate leaders within striking distance of deal to end shutdown, raise debt limit" Senate leaders said late Monday that they were closing in on a deal to raise the federal debt limit and end the two-week-old government shutdown, just days before the Treasury Department exhausts its ability to borrow. The emerging agreement would extend the Treasury Department's borrowing authority until Feb. 7, reopen the government and fund federal agencies through mid-January, according to aides and lawmakers familiar with the negotiations. LINK

Politico's Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan: " Senate talks raise pressure on John Boehner" Speaker John Boehner, who has wrestled with an unruly pack of conservatives for months, will soon be faced with an uncomfortable choice: Pass an emerging bipartisan Senate deal to lift the debt ceiling and fund the government, or don't - and risk massive political and economic consequences. As the contours of a bipartisan Senate deal became clear, Boehner's leadership team, allies and rank-and-file lawmakers spent Monday saying that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are gearing up to send the House a crummy deal. LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEO " Focus On McConnell, Reid As Senate Eyes Shutdown Fix" LINK " Deadlock In Washington As Default Deadline Looms" LINK

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