- The Washington Times - Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick for Donald Trump, said on Tuesday that the debate over abortion comes down to a “legal issue,” and that if people want to see the law changed they need to think about getting the right Supreme Court justices on the bench.

Gen. Flynn’s past history as a Democrat — he says he grew up in a “very strong Democratic family” — as well as comments he made earlier this week about abortion have raised eyebrows among conservatives.

He did say Tuesday that his mother was the president of a right-to-life association in Rhode Island.

“What I believe in is I believe in law,” he said on “Fox and Friends.” “I believe right now we have a law. If people are … concerned about this issue, they need to make sure they vote for Donald Trump so we can get the right Supreme Court justices in there to essentially change whatever needs to be changed.”

“But that’s the law right now. This is a legal issue,” said Gen. Flynn, a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Asked about abortion on ABC’s “This Week,” he said women “have to be able to choose” — comments the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List said disqualified him from consideration as vice president.

But in an interview with Fox News Monday, he described himself as a “pro-life Democrat.”

Gen. Flynn’s name has been mentioned alongside Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as possible running mates for Mr. Trump, as the presumptive GOP presidential nominee closes in on making a final decision.

“It’s an unbelievable honor to be even in the mix,” he said on Tuesday.

He said Mr. Trump is a “great listener.”

“I’ve had an opportunity to speak with him, and I have provided advice for quite some time now to him, and I would tell you he’s a great listener, he asks great questions, and he’s somebody that has a vision for this country that I think we need right now,” Gen. Flynn said.

• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.

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