I'm going to be very frank here. I do not agree with Obama's comments. No matter how artfully you say what Obama's trying to say - people are angry at the government's lack of progress on the economy and so take refuge in their religions/guns/xenophobia (they elect leaders based on these values) - it's simply a really really tough argument to make, even for a constitutional law professor. I wouldn't call his remarks elitist so much as stupid. For the life of me I do not understand why he keeps repeating them with different wording.
That said, luckily for Obama I think he has other redeeming qualities. And, more importantly for Obama, I don't think this thing will stick. Here's why.