There he goes again. Once again, Donald Trump has made an emphatic statement of what his policy would be if he is elected president and once again he has been forced to retract it.

How long will Trump get away with shoving his foot in his mouth before he starts losing Republican Party primary elections?

During a recent interview, Trump, the frontrunner for the GOP nomination for president, was asked what his policy would be if, at some time in the future, abortion is made illegal. Specifically, his position on whether women obtaining illegal abortions should be punished was sought.

Yes, he said. Such women should face “some sort of punishment,” he said.

Only after organizations on both sides of the abortion debate, both pro and con, criticized Trump for the statement did his campaign issue a “clarification.” Trump doesn’t want to punish women who have abortions, only those who perform them, his aides insisted.

But that is not what he said in answer to a very clearly worded question.

Both the other Republican presidential contenders, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz emphasized quickly they have no such position on punishing women.

Both said they view women who obtain abortions as victims, not criminals.

As Kasich has pointed out, Americans need a president who thinks about the issues before making statements – or worse, policies – regarding them. Having demonstrated an excellent, detailed understanding of problems and challenges facing the nation, both domestically and abroad, Kasich cannot fathom why Trump’s vague, often inflammatory, pronouncements appeal to some voters.

Neither can about two-thirds of Republicans who have voted in party primaries or caucuses this year.