Attempt to Categorize Independents as "Pure" - Not So Much

HANKSTER COMMENTARY: In my opinion, most of the anti-independent commentary we see in the media is based on an obscure 1992 "report" that claimed that independents are really partisans in independent clothing. Independents in Name Only. Closet partisans.  Besides being 20 years old,  in a strict and tightly-controlled 2-party duopoly monopoly, why would anyone be surprised!?

Of note would be Anna Sales' coverage of ordinary independents over the past couple of weeks...

• Candidates Vie for New Hampshire Independent Votes (AUDIO The Take Away) Anna Sale talks about independents
• 2012: Capturing the Disgruntled Independent Vote (MP3 AUDIO - interview with Anna Sale, WNYC/The Take Away) Audio report features Jackie Salit and independentvoting.org and Ted Downing

OBAMA
Confidence in Obama, and in the Economy, Declines (By NATE SILVER, NY Times/FiveThirtyEight) Three groups in particular stand out for having especially large declines. First is what Gallup terms “pure independent” voters, among whom Mr. Obama’s approval rating has dropped by 10 points since the start of the year. These pure independents are true swing voters; Gallup defines the category to exclude the many voters who call themselves independent but in fact lean toward one or another party and behave like partisans.