TODAY'S PAPERS

The Washington Post, New York Times, and Los Angeles Times lead with news that the Bush administration and Congressional leaders are moving closer to agreeing on the $700-billion bailout plan for financial firms. The LAT says that in its rush to pass the plan, the Bush administration is agreeing to measures that "would have been inconceivable even a few weeks ago." But deep skepticism remains on both sides of the aisle and suddenly lawmakers aren't being shy about questioning whether the plan would really succeed in shoring up the nation's ailing financial system. The WP points out that some lawmakers are now saying it might be unrealistic for them to pass a plan by Friday. And as doubts increased in Capitol Hill, investors responded in kind and continued to send the markets on the dizzying rollercoaster ride that has been all too familiar lately. The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 372 points, or 3.3 percent, which more than erased Friday's huge gains. "It marked the first time in the Dow's history that it has moved more than 350 points, four days in a row," notes the Wall Street Journal in a Page One piece.The WSJ's world-wide newsbox leads with a look at the presidential candidates' assessments of the bailout plan. Neither candidate said how he would vote if the bailout reaches the Senate floor, though they agreed on several key aspects they want to see changed. Barack Obama and John McCain both want to put limits on executive pay as well as increase oversight of the Treasury while also demanding greater transparency of how the money is spent. USA Today leads with word that the Department of Veteran Affairs will publish new regulations today that will "substantially increase" the disability benefits for veterans with mild traumatic brain injuries. The move marks the first time the government has officially acknowledged that even those with mild symptoms can struggle to make a living when they get back home. These veterans could receive $600 a month, whereas they now collect a mere $117. The department expects somewhere between 3,500 and 5,000 veterans to benefit from the new regulation.

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