By appealing to 3% of the national population (the practicing gay community), Obama may have done himself more harm than good in making his gay announcement.

There are 12 swing states.  If Romney wins 6 and carries
the Independent vote by 6%, he probably wins the election.

 Obama is already down 10 points with Independents.  His decision to go public with regard to his personal support of gay marriage has created more distance between himself and Independents.  One thing for certain: he cannot win the coming election unless and until he gets control of the Independent vote,  and right now,  he is losing that battle, big time.  The following report from the Daily Caller adds confirmation to what I am reporting, here.  

From the Daily Caller:   Gallup released a new poll on Friday showing that President Barack Obama’s controversial May 9 decision to back same-sex marriage is hurting his chances among independents.    The USA Today/Gallup poll of 1,013 adults — not likely voters — shows that 23 percent of independents say the decision will make them less likely to vote for Obama, while only 11 percent say it will make them more likely to vote for the president.    Similarly, 10 percent of Democrats say his decision will make them less likely to vote for Obama, while only 2 percent of Republicans say it will make them more likely to vote for Obama.  They’re small percentages, but more than enough to decide close races in critical swing states such as North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Florida.

According to Gallup, A majority of Americans, 60%, say President Barack Obama's newly announced support for same-sex marriage will make no difference to their vote. . . . . .  

More editor notes:  

The impact of this Gallup conclusion is the fact that 60% of Americans already have their minds made up,  as to who they will support in the coming election.  This demographic is the partisans in both camp.  There is a sense of ideology (Leftist versus the Patriot Nation)  attached to the voting decisions of approximately two thirds of this nation.  The remainder of the populace think with their pocket book,  and [generally speaking] couldn't care less as to the political direction of this country.  

Speaking of "ideology,"  Gallup, in the above,  tells us that 10% of the Democrat population is turned off by Obama's "ho mo sexual" decision.  That 10 percent translates into 3% of the total voting electorate (trust my math on this).  This is a most critical circumstance because Obama won the popular vote in 2008 by just 7%.  

While he may have fired up his base,  somewhat,  he just might have cost himself the election in this poorly timed announcement.   There is no evidence whatsoever, that he actually improved his electoral chances.  Understand that some political decision are,  indeed, "gutsy" while others are simply unplanned and unwise.