Wife of Presidential Candidate John Edwards Says She Would Not Attend Cabinet Meetings

WASHINGTON – Elizabeth Edwards says she has no interest in attending Cabinet meetings if her husband, Democrat John Edwards, is elected president.

Edwards says the first lady has a "great big megaphone and you get to talk about things you care about and I hope I'd be busy doing that and mothering my adorable children as opposed to sitting in Cabinet meetings."

She made the comments in an interview with ABC News' "Nightline" that is scheduled to air Monday night. The network on Sunday released excerpts of the interview.

Last week, GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani told the network's "20/20" program that he saw no reason to ban his wife, Judith Nathan Giuliani, who once worked as a nurse, from attending Cabinet meetings if he won election.

"If she wanted to. If they were relevant to something that she would be interested in. I mean that would be something that I'd be very, very comfortable with," the former New York City mayor said.

Giuliani issued a statement clarifying his position after excerpts of the interview were made public.

"Obviously, she will not be a Cabinet member or attend most Cabinet meetings — if any. But she will pursue a campaign to educate Americans on preventing illness and promoting overall health," he said.

Former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was criticized in the 1990s for assuming a major role in her husband's effort to overhaul the nation's health care system.