Katie Couric must have wanted to prove her mettle. The third place nightly newsperson was able to procure an interview for the Sunday night CBS News Show '60 Minutes' with John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth and after a few sympathetic questions went on the attack against Edwards and his wife for their decision to stay in the race. Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, who has been diagnosed with a recurrence of breast cancer, defended his decision to remain in the race. She said she couldn't live with denying him the chance to be president.

Katie Couric Beats Up on John Edwards, Elizabeth on 60 Minutes

"That would be my legacy, wouldn't it, Katie?" Elizabeth asked. "That I'd taken out this fine man from -- from the possibility of -- of giving a great service. I mean, I don't want that to be my legacy," Edwards said.

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The Associated Press notes that they announced Thursday that she was once again facing cancer, only this time it was incurable and had spread to her bone. Despite the prognosis, John Edwards said he would forge ahead with his second bid for the presidency.

Anticipating the demands of the campaign trail, Elizabeth Edwards said her options were clear. "Either you push forward with the things that you were doing yesterday or you start dying. That seems to be your only two choices," she said. "If I had given up everything that my life was about -- first of all, I'd let cancer win before it needed to."

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Then on Sunday night, an episode of 'When Katie Attacks' aired on '60 Minutes.' Here's a bit of the questioning per CBS.

Katie Couric: Your decision to stay in this race has been analyzed, and quite frankly judged by a lot of people. And some say, what you're doing is courageous, others say it's callous. Some say, "Isn't it wonderful they care for something greater than themselves?" And others say, "It's a case of insatiable ambition." You say?

John Edwards: "I say all of those judgments and questions are entirely legitimate. I mean, you offer yourself up for service to the country as the President of the United States, you deserve to be evaluated. I am perfectly open to that evaluation. I think that I know, when I'm running for president, I'm running for president because I want to serve this country, and because I want all people in America to have the same kind of chances that I've had...We know the truth. We know the truth, but I think it's a fair judgment for Americans to make."

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She wasn't finished. Katie Couric then rapid fired these questions at the Edwards's. "Here you're staring at possible death... And you're thinking, I don't want to deprive the country of having my husband lead us."

Next: "Some people watching this would say, I would put my family first always, and my job second." And you're doing the exact opposite. You're putting your work first, and your family second."

More Katie Couric: "I guess some people would say that there's some middle ground. You don't have to necessarily stay at home and feel sorry for yourself, and do nothing. But, if given a finite – a possibly finite period of time on the planet – being on the campaign trail, away from my children, a lot of time, and sort of pursuing this goal, is not, necessarily, what I'd do."

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She still wasn't finished with the grilling. "Even those who may be very empathetic to what you all are facing might question your ability to run the country at the same time you're dealing with a major health crisis in your family." "… Can you understand their concern, though, Senator Edwards, that gosh, at a time when we're living in a world that is so complicated and so dangerous that the president cannot be distracted by, rightly so, caring about his wife's situation?"

Oh the humanity. She was clueless to stop. Katie; "You said, this weekend, "I am definitely in the race for the duration." If you want to give the honest answer, how can you say that, Senator Edwards, with such certainty? If, God forbid, Elizabeth doesn't respond to whatever treatment is recommended, if her health deteriorates, would you really say that?"

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Katie will take some criticism for this and rightly so. Elizabeth Edwards is facing a very difficult battle with cancer, this is not a normal grilling that a politician should face for an action they have taken or a vote they have cast.