The Note’s Must-Reads for Tuesday, August 6, 2013

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By Jayce Henderson

Aug 6, 2013 3:15am

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, Will Cantine and Carrie Halperin
NATIONAL SECURITY:
The Hill’s Jeremy Herb: “Resurgent al Qaeda casts doubt on Obama’s national security record” Groups affiliated with al Qaeda have grown in strength over the last year, prompting new challenges for the Obama White House that has touted its record in fighting terror groups. President Obama declared al Qaeda on the run following the death of Osama bin Laden, but that assessment is being called into question now that the group has been caught planning a major terrorist attack. LINK
ELECTION:
ABC News’ Shushannah Walshe: “RNC Says No Debates If NBC and CNN Don’t Pull Clinton Movies“ The Republican National Committee has a message for NBC and CNN: If they don’t pull their planned Hillary Clinton miniseries and movie, no RNC partnered 2016 debates for them. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus wrote a letter to the heads of both networks to “express his deep disappointment” in their decision to either air a miniseries in NBC’s case or a movie in CNN’s, writing that the networks are “promoting former Secretary Hillary Clinton ahead of her likely candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016. LINK
HOUSING:
USA Today’s Aamer Madhani: “Obama heads to Phoenix to talk housing“ With the nation’s real estate market on a winning streak, President Obama is heading to Phoenix on Tuesday to make a major speech on homeownership where he will lay out his plan for keeping the U.S. housing market humming. Obama chose Phoenix — the epicenter of the U.S. housing bust that wiped out $7 trillion in homeowner equity — to make the next speech in his ongoing summer road tour in which he has been spotlighting the progress the U.S. economy has made under his watch, while hammering Republicans for not working with him to help bolster a still lackluster economy. LINK 
HEALTH CARE:
The Wall Street Journal’s Amy Schatz: “Preparations for Health Exchanges on Tight Schedule“ Opening day for the new health-insurance marketplaces is two months away, but efforts to recruit and train workers to help people enroll are barely off the ground in many states. With time running short before enrollment kicks off Oct. 1, the Obama administration last week cut back on training requirements for these “navigators.” Officials were concerned there might not be enough time to do more-extensive training before the health-insurance exchanges open. LINK .
HILLARY CLINTON:
Bloomberg’s John McCormick: “RNC Pledges Debate Ban Over Network Clinton Programs” The Republican National Committee chairman says he’ll try to block presidential primary debate partnerships with NBC and CNN if the television networks don’t cancel planned Hillary Clinton documentaries. CNN Films is planning a feature-length documentary about Clinton and NBC Entertainment has a mini-series in the works ahead of a potential 2016 White House Democratic primary bid by the former U.S. secretary of state and first lady. LINK
The Washington Times’ Seth McLaughlin: “RNC Chairman Reince Priebus protests Hillary Clinton documentary” The head of the Republican National Committee is demanding that NBC and CNN pull the plug on airing an upcoming documentary and a miniseries on former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton — or risk losing out on the chance to sponsor presidential debates in the 2016 GOP primary election. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus sent letters to Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment, and Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, calling on them to “cancel this political ad masquerading as an unbiased production.” LINK
OTHER:
The Los Angeles Times’ Alexei Koseff: “Wendy Davis for governor of Texas? Filibuster leader considers it” Wendy Davis, who garnered national headlines in June for filibustering a controversial bill restricting abortion access, confirmed Monday that she was considering a bid for governor of Texas next year. Speaking at a packed lunch at the National Press Club here, the Texas state senator announced she would either run for reelection in the Senate or for the governorship of the nation’s second-largest state. LINK
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