I disagree that the language can't be overcome. I also disagree that you need to (or can) "tamp down" those issues and stop the media from focusing on them. They're going to focus on whatever they want to and you can't stop them. Your language and answers should be so good that they won't want to focus on them.
For one thing, we have actual survivors of attempted abortion and of pregnancies from rape seen on conservative programming. Those people should be brought in to speak at the convention. And their personal stories should be highlighted in the response to these questions.
The marriage answer has to be more than "I believe marriage is between a man and woman." There could be an explanation of how traditional marriage is an institution we use as an example to raise our children into a stable, balanced family unit and perpetuate our society and way of life. And an explanation of the slippery slope when we try to claim gender differences don't matter, such as the banning of father/daughter dances.
Explain Todd Akin then. If this is working, then he wins, right?
The fact of the matter is that most women are not going to respond to an overt anti-abortion message. That's half of your electorate right there. How much of that are you willing to throw away? We just lost this election. How many more do you want to lose?
That's the question out there. It isn't a matter of right versus wrong. Its a matter of winning or losing and which side of that you want to be on.
Once you figure out what side you want to be on, then you carefully craft a message to thread the needle and turn off the fewest numbers of voters you can possibly turn off.
The opposition has this figured out. Why can't we?