Todays Papers - July 8 (Money is still on Paline to Run!)

Blame It on the Speculators
By Daniel Politi
Posted Wednesday, July 8, 2009, at 6:56 AM ET
The New York Times leads with the Obama administration's announcement that it might impose tougher regulations on energy speculators. The head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said he is considering limits on how much purely financial firms can get involved in energy-futures markets. It is seen as yet another example of how the Obama administration is stepping up efforts to regulate markets after two decades of steady deregulation. The Wall Street Journal leads with President Obama's two-day visit to Russia that ended yesterday with "conciliatory words" for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, but also calls for the Kremlin to change some of its ways.

The Washington Post leads with a look at how the stimulus package still hasn't delivered a jolt to the economy, making Democrats nervous that another one might be needed. President Obama defended the $787 billion package yesterday, and administration officials insist spending will ramp up later this year. But it obviously won't be enough to offset all the recent job losses, and Republicans are already making it clear this will be the main issue in next year's midterm elections.

The Los Angeles Times devotes much of its front page to the Michael Jackson memorial. It was an emotional, star-studded event that was broadcast around the world. Singers, political activists, athletes, and family members said farewell to the King of Pop, who was lying in a gold casket draped in flowers that his brothers brought to the stage at the beginning of the ceremony. The LAT notes that "the signature moment" of the service may have been when his 11-year-old daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, took the stage. "I just wanted to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine," she said through tears. "And I just wanted to say I love him so much."

USA Today devotes the top half of its front page to a picture of Paris Jackson at the microphone, surrounded by members of the Jackson family, but its lead story is about how Sarah Palin's resignation actually "boosted her a bit among Republicans."

A poll taken this week shows that Palin has become even more polarizing after her resignation as the vast majority of Republicans want her to become a national figure, and Democrats overwhelmingly want her to just go away. Fifty-five percent of independents agree with Democrats. Almost three-fourths of Republicans say they'd be likely to vote for Palin for president in 2012, while 51 percent of independents say they wouldn't.

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Daniel Politi writes "Today's Papers" for Slate.
He can be reached at todayspapers@slate.com.