So who is an Independant, really?

The pollsters are getting tied in knots, rating candidates by their appeal to registered Democrats, registered Republicans, and registered Independents. So and so's support in the primary is reported as coming from shifty independents or true blue party members. The implication is that support from true blue party members is "better" than support from independents.
Actually, there are a huge number of democrats and republican who register as independents so that they can decide which primary is worth voting in at the last minute. In one party states like Massachusetts republicans will register as democrats to allow them to vote in the democratic primary, which is the only election that means anything. In a one party state, win the democratic primary and you are as good as elected, the Republicans don't every bother to put up candidates for most offices.
So, when I hear a pollster waxing eloquent about the "quality" of a candidate's support, or the number of independents who vote for him, I figure I am listening to a pollster who doesn't understand voters. A vote is a vote, idenpendent votes are counted just the same as true blue party votes.
The pollsters like voters who do their work for them by registering for a party. The dumbest pollster can count party registrations and from that pontificate about the outcome.