The Note's Must-Reads for Thursday, November 22, 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 and Amanda VanAllen

FOREIGN AFFAIRS: USA Today's Richard Wolf and David Jackson: " Cease-fire came after hard-fought diplomatic battle" If it holds, the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas could be the start of a greater peacemaking role for the United States in the Middle East, offering President Obama a rare opportunity to make good on his Nobel Peace Prize. Obama's rock-solid support for Israel during the past eight days of violence and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's shuttle diplomacy in the region helped pave the way for the cease-fire agreement announced this afternoon, experts agreed. LINK

JESSE JACKSON JR.: ABC News' Matthew Jaffe and Chris Good: " Jesse Jackson Jr. Resigns House Seat" Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., the embattled Democrat from Illinois who has been on medical leave from Capitol Hill for months undergoing treatment for bipolar disorder, resigned from the House of Representatives Wednesday. Aides to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said they had received a letter of resignation from Jackson Jr. LINK

The New York Times' Monica Davey: " Jesse Jackson Jr. Resigns, Facing Illness and Inquiry" Representative Jesse L. Jackson Jr. resigned from Congress on Wednesday, ending the political career of a son who rose on the name of his father, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., and was once widely expected to outshine him. Mr. Jackson, 47, has been treated for bipolar disorder, and cited ill health as his reason for leaving. LINK

Politico's Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan: " Jesse Jackson Jr. resigns from Congress" The once-promising political career of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. came to a crashing end Wednesday, when the Illinois Democrat announced he would resign his seat in Congress immediately amid treatment for mental illness, stories of marital infidelity and a pair of federal investigations. The Illinois Democrat, the son of the civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., has been absent from the House since June 10, when he cast his last vote and then disappeared from public view, only to emerge later under treatment for bipolar disorder. LINK

The Boston Globe's Henry C. Jackson and Sophia Tareen: " Amid federal inquiries, Jesse Jackson Jr. leaves House" US Representatiave Jesse Jackson Jr. quietly resigned Wednesday, effectively ending a once-promising political career months after the civil rights icon's son went on a mysterious medical leave while facing separate federal inquiries. Just two weeks after voters reelected him to a ninth full term, Jackson sent his letter of resignation to House Speaker John Boehner, citing his ongoing treatment for bipolar disorder and admitting "my share of mistakes." LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND FIRST FAMILY: The Los Angeles Times' Danielle Ryan: " A Second chance for the turkey named Cobbler" President Obama continued the White House tradition of pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey, but for the first time, the public decided which bird would get the honor by voting on the White House Facebook page. The winner? Cobbler, of the blue state of Virginia. On an unusually warm Thanksgiving eve in Washington, more than 150 reporters and photographers gathered to witness the annual event, along with about 50 White House staffers. LINK

OBAMACARE: The Wall Street Journal's Damian Paletta: " Boehner Wants 'Obamacare' as Part of Deficit Talks" We'll know soon enough whether everything really is on the table in the deficit-reduction talks between the White House and Congress. In an opinion piece that ran on the Cincinnati Enquirer's website Tuesday evening, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R., Ohio) wrote that he wants changes to President Barack Obama's 2010 health-care law to be part of any talks aimed at addressing the country's debt challenges. LINK

CHRIS CHRISTIE: Blommberg's Terrence Dopp: " Christie Surges to 67% Favorable in Post-Sandy Voter Poll" New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican who hasn't said whether he'll seek re-election next year, surged to a record-high favorability rating following his response to superstorm Sandy, according to a poll. The first-term governor was rated favorably by 67 percent of registered voters, up from 48 percent barely a month earlier, the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released today shows. LINK

GOP: The Washington Times' David Sherfinski: " Republicans attack Rice, not race" Republicans shot down Democratic charges that ongoing criticism of U.N. Ambassador Susan E. Rice is couched in racism or sexism, and pressed President Obama for more answers on the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi, Libya, as partisan battle lines hardened Wednesday over the incident and its aftermath. Some Democrats have hinted that the intense criticism of Mrs. Rice has to do with her race and her gender, but Sen. Lindsey Graham dismissed that argument. LINK

MITT ROMNEY: The New York Daily News' Kristen A. Lee: " Romney takes in Disneyland with the grandkids" Two weeks after Election Night, America remains on RomneyWatch. Mitt Romney, who has been photographed seeing the latest "Twilight" movie and fueling up his car, made his most high-profile appearance yet at Disneyland on Tuesday. The former candidate was spotted by scores of surprised park-goers as he strolled through the "Happiest Place on Earth," accompanied by his wife Ann and what appeared to be several grandchildren. LINK

OTHER: The Hill's Julian Pecquet: " Senate threatens to cut aid to Palestinians over statehood bid at UN" Senators from both parties warned Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday that he will be putting millions of dollars of U.S. aid at risk if he goes forward with his planned statehood bid at the United Nations next week. Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), co-authors of a Senate resolution denouncing the statehood bid, wrote to the Palestinian Authority president on Wednesday warning him that "any such efforts may cause consequences in regards to U.S. policy and foreign aid." LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS: " Jesse Jackson Jr. Resigns from Congress" LINK " Cobbler and Gobbler: Turkeys Pardoned by President Obama" LINK

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/notes-must-reads-thursday-november-22-2012-080442181--abc-news-politics.html

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