Edwards: 'Everything Is Fair Game' in a Campaign

April 2, 2007 — -- Since announcing the return of her cancer last week, Elizabeth Edwards and her family have found themselves the recipients of both pure admiration and utter disapproval.

However, the past few weeks have been otherwise encouraging for the presidential campaign of her husband, John Edwards. Last week, he received a nine-point bump in the polls and yesterday, his campaign again made headlines, announcing that $14 million had been raised this quarter.

Elizabeth Edwards recognizes that her condition has garnered more support for her husband but says the boost has more to do with her husband's character than sympathy for her condition. "[I] do think that the cancer also gave people the opportunity to see a man who, under enormous stress, was able to be focused and clear and really goal driven," she says.

"Nightline" co-anchor Cynthia McFadden traveled to the Edwards home in North Carolina to talk exclusively with Elizabeth and Cate Edwards, wife and daughter of the 2008 presidential contender, for their first interview together since Elizabeth announced that her cancer had returned.

Since her announcement, her husband's decision to remain in the race has been questioned by voters and pundits alike, including some who have accused the Edwards campaign of capitalizing on his wife's condition.

Elizabeth Edwards said the news regarding her cancer does not affect her husband's ability to be a "decisive and clear" leader. However, she says voters have a right to take her condition into consideration. "Honestly, everything is fair game," she says. "I mean, the reason we have been open about everything, tried to be as transparent as a family and as human beings as we can, is that we think if you're going to put yourself out as somebody who ought to be elected to be the leader of the free world, that people have a right to ask any sort of question that they think they need to know about you."