Does LeBron James Define "MVP"?

On NBA.com's Race to the MVP page, LeBron James is listed as the No. 1 choice to win the award, followed by Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant. 

Looking at this, I couldn't help but think, what defines an MVP?

Is an MVP the player who helps lead his team to the most victories? Is it the player who has the best statistical season?

Or is the MVP the player who is the most well-liked and respected by the fans and the media?

Well, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a record of 29-23 and are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Now, if they were in the West, they would be in 10th place, right behind the Houston Rockets—two spots out of the playoffs.

Even though the Cavs are not a top 10 NBA team, LeBron James is already being dubbed the 2008 NBA MVP.

I'm confused...very confused. In the past reporters, writers, fans, coaches, and players all said that the player who receives the MVP award should be the best player on the best team. Please tell me why LeBron is the MVP?

I checked on many sites and they all say the same thing. They say that without LeBron, the Cavs would be six games below .500, but are 13 games above it when he does play.

What does that mean? It means that LeBron is the MVP of the Cavs, not the NBA. They also write that his stats are off the charts, averaging about 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. 

Think about this: Two years ago Kobe averaged more than 35 points per game, had 62 points in three quarters against the Mavericks, 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, and pretty much carried the Lakers into the postseason.

Were those stats not off the charts?

Had Kobe missed six games like LeBron James this season, the Lakers would have lost all six of those games too. In fact, had Kobe not been on the Lakers during that season, the Lakers would not have even won a game with the roster they had. 

I've come down to one final conclusion: The MVP award is based upon how popular a player is, how many commercials he is in, and how many tickets he sells.

I'm not saying Nash, Duncan, Dirk, and Shaq did not deserve to be MVPs, but really, if someone is gonna say that the MVP award belongs to the best player on the best team, then why would LeBron deserve it?