Who will win the west is a real question in 2008 -- and could determine the next President

First Read has a quick take on the state of play in the Western states, based on some polling released today. The Denver Post, has a longer analysis of these battleground state polls, but here's what Chuck Todd and his crew are saying.

All very interesting. It's very close out here in the West (said like someone from the East Coast who is visiting for a week). And, that's due to a lot of hard work by the Democrats on the ground -- with some help from Howard Dean's 50-state strategy. You know the punditry never really thought these states would actually be in play. But, they are -- even Arizona, which says so much about John McCain. People who know him best don't like him.