"Lock" on the Presidency???

[NorthernDog]

In 1992 James Carville was asked if the Democrats had removed the GOP's "electoral lock", since Clinton carried several southern states.  He stated at the time that no, they had only "picked the lock".  I now underdstand his comment - the electoral college breakdown has reverted to its 1980s pattern, with a few exceptions of course, like California and Vermont.
With a consistent GOP base in the Great Plains, most of the south and Rocky Mountains, they definately have an advantage.  OTOH the Democrats have suffered two 49-state blowouts in recent history.

[NorthernDog]

When to you guys expect to start seeing state-by-state polls of the Presidential Election?  Do they wait for the primaries to be wrapped up?  I saw a New York state poll on DailyKOS.com and Bush was trailing all potential Democrats but only by about 8 points.  Republicans could have a lock on this election already if the close states in 2000 election are all tilting to Bush already

[NorthernDog]

December is probably a bad month for polling-everyone is busy shopping, going to Christmas parties, hunting, etc...I wonder how the pollsters take all this into account?