Reply #13: It was an article of Marxist faith that religion is the opium of the masses

[Tom Rinaldo]

but that is not established as a progressive truth. Do I think Obama is asserting that rural Americans turn to God as a crutch to deal with their bitterness and frustration? No. Do I think his poor choice of words left himself wide open to attacks over that interpretation? Yes.

Therefor in that among other ways Obama did stick his foot in his mouth even if he was attempting to speak to larger truths.