conservatives are driven by their religious views and want those religious views turned into law
(no abortions, not even if mothers life in danger or in case of rape, abstinence only sex education, ...)
the problem is that most of the rest of the country doesnt think we should make it against the law just because their holy book forbids it
so as far as "soundbites" it is not like the obama "you didnt build that" or the romney "i like firing people"
these people are repeatedly stumbling over themselves trying to justify their archaic and misguided religious positions and hence you get the "legitimate rape" things. they're not mistakes, it just makes them look bad and normal, decent republicans facepalm every time they open their mouths bc it makes the whole party look bad