Another day, another glaring example of how when Donald Trump flaps his lips he says nothing, nothing that constitutes a modicum of meaning.

Trump, appearing in a taped town hall for MSNBC set to air Wednesday night, was asked by Chris Matthews about the highly-charged subject of abortion. He babbled and burbled in his usual incoherent manner when pressed by Excitable Boy Matthews, then he finally said that yes, women should receive “some form of punishment” for procuring an abortion.

He then later “clarified” when he received blowback from both the Left and the Right. Here’s his official “clarification” (i.e. backpedal, backpedal):

Trump issues clarification of his abortion-punishment position – and by "clarification" I mean "complete reversal" pic.twitter.com/ZRbAxgPxVm

— Anthony Zurcher (@awzurcher) March 30, 2016

Ted Cruz, who has always been staunchly pro life, issued the following statement:

.@tedcruz statement on Trump's abortion comments: pic.twitter.com/pdZuxkfWfN

— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) March 30, 2016

Cruz is absolutely correct here. Trump has never contemplated anything of depth or substance, and it shows. It’s doubtful that he’s read anything about life politics and policies, and when caught with his figurative pants around his orange ankles, he scrambles that Very Good Brain of his to assemble some kind of answer he thinks will assuage pro lifers.