Senator John McCain, de facto Republican US presidential candidate, has indicated that he is likely to pick an anti-abortion running-mate. He told MSNBC: "the respect and cherishing of the right of the unborn is one of the fundamental principles of my party and it's a deeply held belief of mine". [LifeNews, 16 April] Prospective Democrat candidates reportedly avoided answering questions on euthanasia at a meeting last weekend. Mrs Clinton was unsure on government's role in the matter and Mr Obama seems to have said nothing definite. [LifeNews, 14 April]

President Bush has praised Pope Benedict's message on life issues. Welcoming the pontiff on a visit to America, he said: "In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred and that each of us is willed and each of us is loved and each of us is necessary." [Telegraph, 17 April] The American Life League (ALL) has appealed to pro-abortion politicians not to politicize the eucharist by seeking to receive holy communion during the Papal mass in Washington. This would be sacrilegious, ALL says. [PRNewswire on Yahoo!, 14 April and LifeSiteNews, 16 April] Pro-abortion politicians attending the service would include Mrs Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the house of representatives, and Senator John Kerry, former Democrat presidential candidate. [Boston Herald, 16 April] Fr Frank Pavone of Priests for Life and Senator Sam Brownback, Republican from Kansas, welcomed the Pope. [LifeNews, 15 April]