Amniocenteses, contraception, and gayness/gay unions are just not "problems" that America needs to "solve" to retain/regain its virtu and longer term economic vitality.
I agree with your statement. Still, Willard was being politically expedient in that clip. He was running for election as Governor of Massachusetts and he said what he thought he needed to say.
I certainly wouldn't call such a statement a flop. If anything, it was successful spin. Willard is the sort of guy who says, "Mother'n'Daddy made sure I had mustard'n'biscuits three times a week" when he's campaigning in Sling Blade country, then turns around and asks "Who let the dogs out?" when campaigning in Detroit. He says "China cheats" when he's in the rustbelt, and a week later, when he's in the dining room of a Connecticut country club discussing foreign trade with investors, says "We must continue our good relations with the Chinese."
This is campaigning 101, man. Nothing unusual about it. They all do it. But somehow, with Romney, it just seems so awfully scripted. Can you imagine Willard genuinely enjoying a liberal portion of pasteurized processed American cheese food substitute heaped atop a plate of coarsely-ground, alkali-treated corn?