Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton trails five top Republican presidential contenders in general election match-ups, a drop in support from this summer, according to a poll released on Monday. Clinton’s top Democratic rivals, Barack Obama and John Edwards, still lead Republicans in hypothetical match-ups ahead of the November 4, 2008, presidential election, the survey by Zogby Interactive showed.Clinton, a New York senator who has been at the top of the Democratic pack in national polls in the 2008 race, trails Republican candidates Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, John McCain and Mike Huckabee by three to five percentage points in the direct matches.Reuters

Doesn’t it make you feel just warm all over? Maybe we all need to start doing a rain dance for a Clinton nomination. Perhaps I’m better off voting in the Democratic Primary.

For an AIDS-scary world, there is some good news. AIDS may have been one of the biggest epidemics, but scientists now believe that the size and the course of the disease have been grossly over-estimated over a decade.In what could be a stunning revelation, the United Nations top AIDS scientists will soon acknowledge the ‘mistakes’, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, say media reports.

Reports say new studies have even shown that United Nations has cut its estimate of HIV cases in India by more than half.

The revisions amount to at least a partial acknowledgment of criticisms long levelled by researchers who disputed the UN version and reports about “an ever-expanding global epidemic”, reports said.

The new estimate put the number of annual new HIV infections at 2.5 million, a cut of more than 40 percent from last year’s estimate, reports said quoting the UN statement.

Total number of people infected worldwide with HIV — estimated a year ago at nearly 40 million and rising — now will be reported as 33 million.

Rediff News

Well, what do you know. Those UN scientists were mistaken, yet when discussing man’s supposed contribution to global warming there is simply no disputing the consensus of these same UN scientists that we are bringing about the end of humanity with our SUVs and coal power plants.

Or is there?

Critics, the reports said, also said that UN officials overstated the extent of the epidemic to help gather political and financial support to combat AIDS.

“There was a tendency toward alarmism, and that fit perhaps a certain fund-raising agenda,” said Helen Epstein, author of “The Invisible Cure: Africa, the West, and the Fight Against AIDS’

“I hope the new numbers will help refocus the response in a more pragmatic way.”

Well, I am just aghast that the UN might possibly exaggerate their “scientific” claims in order to push a preplanned agenda through. But no, that’s just simply not a possibility when it comes to global warming. They must be telling us the truth because they are so trustworthy. No agenda there.

Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, plans to resign his seat before the end of the year, congressional and Bush administration officials said Monday.

Lott, 66, scheduled two news conferences in Pascagoula and Jackson later in the day to reveal his plans. According to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement, Lott intends to resign effective at the end of the year.

No reason for Lott’s resignation was given, but according to a congressional official, there is nothing amiss with Lott’s health. The senator has “other opportunities” he plans to pursue, the official said, without elaborating. Lott was re-elected to a fourth Senate term in 2006.

AP

I am pleased to hear this. Lott has been horrible when it comes to earmark reform and has constantly made justifications as to why he and his porker colleague, Senator Cochran, need them so badly. Governor Barbour will appoint a replacement who will serve until the 2008 election. There is wide speculation that Congressman Chip Pickering will be the anointed successor. Whoever it is, I hope they have a more fiscally responsible agenda than Lott did.