Martin: Show the GOP who's boss

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice addresses the media following a UN Security Council meeting on July 11, 2012 . GOP senators are criticizing Susan Rice for her comments about Benghazi attack Roland Martin says the focus on Rice is unwarranted given her limited role on issue He says President Obama should defy critics, pick Rice to be secretary of state Martin: President should show that he can't be bullied by Republicans Editor's note: Roland Martin is a syndicated columnist and author of "The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House." He is a commentator for the TV One cable network and host/managing editor of its Sunday morning news show, "Washington Watch with Roland Martin." (CNN) -- Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte really want us to believe that their shameful behavior toward United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice is all about getting to the truth about what happened in Libya, but the truth is that this is the first salvo in a GOP war against President Barack Obama over the next four years. Do they think Americans are dumb enough to believe that Rice, who had no responsibility over intelligence or approving security requests at the State Department, is the main person who should be answering their queries over what happened in Benghazi that led to the deaths of four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens? These three continue to assert that Rice should have known better than to read talking points on several Sunday morning shows provided to her by the intelligence community, as well as provide an assessment that went outside of what she was told. Is it fair that she be asked about those talking points? Of course. But to somehow try to pin the blame on her is downright offensive. It has been amazing to watch the degree to which U.S. senators don't want to criticize Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has jurisdiction over the department. Yes, Clinton, and not Rice, oversees U.S. ambassadors across the world, and it is her department that denied the security requests from Stevens. Become a fan of CNNOpinion Stay up to date on the latest opinion, analysis and conversations through social media. Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion and follow us @CNNOpinion on Twitter. We welcome your ideas and comments. If there is anyone who should be answering questions about security of our consulate in Libya, it's Clinton. Instead, it's all Rice, all day. McCain, Graham and Ayotte also want to know why the intelligence was so botched, so what do they do? Try to pin that on Rice as well. Again, it has been stunning to see the degree in which members of Congress are afraid to even utter David Petraeus' name, as if vigorously questioning the assessment of the Central Intelligence Agency, which he ran before a sex scandal forced him to resign, is off limits. GOP senators troubled after meeting Rice Ayotte would 'hold' Rice nomination If GOP senators are demanding intelligence answers, then they should continue to haul leaders of various agencies down to Congress to testify under oath. Instead, they've made the calculation to turn Rice into their piñata, desperate to scuttle a potential secretary of state nomination. What finally took the cake was seeing Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins raise questions about Rice and the handling of the 1998 embassy bombings in Africa. Seriously? Now they are trying to pin those bombings on Rice? This has turned into a charade that is shameless, pathetic and embarrassing. Now it's Obama's turn to play hardball and make clear to the GOP that he won't get pushed around with his appointees in his second term. After January 1, he should make clear to the nation that he is going to appoint the eminently qualified Rice to be his secretary of state, and dare the U.S. Senate to deny him his pick. The president should send an unmistakable signal to the GOP that he won't be bullied by anyone. He forcefully defended Rice in a news conference a week ago and publicly thanked her at this week's Cabinet meeting, but the ultimate sign of confidence -- and strength -- would mean forgoing the easy pick of U.S. Sen. John Kerry and daring them to stop Rice. Obama shouldn't be afraid to engage in a public battle with the GOP. To heck with the naysayers who say Rice is damaged goods. What's damaged is the logic of McCain, Graham, Ayotte and Collins, who look foolish every day with their remarks about Rice. Obama won. Romney lost. And before him, McCain. Now it's time for the president to make clear he has no plans to be an idle bystander in another attack on a member of his Cabinet. Mr. President, it's clear the GOP is itching for a fight going into the new year. So give it to them. And show them who is boss. Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland S. Martin.

FDA reversal: Keep taking recalled drug

Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals issued a recall November 9 of a generic form of Lipitor that might contain specks of glass. Atorvastatin, or generic Lipitor, was recalled November 9 The FDA changed its guidance after a conference call with pharmacies and other groups "We need to fix our process a little bit," says FDA official Editor's note: The Empowered Patient is a regular feature from CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen that helps put you in the driver's seat when it comes to health care. (CNN) -- The Food and Drug Administration advised patients Friday to keep taking a popular cholesterol drug even though it might contain specks of glass, reversing advice it gave just a day ago. Millions of people take Ranbaxy Pharmaceutical's generic Lipitor, or atorvastatin, and many have been calling pharmacies confused about whether to take the drugs they have in their medicine cabinets. Ranbaxy initiated a recall November 9 and told pharmacies to stop dispensing the drug, but gave no advice to consumers about what to do with what was in their medicine cabinets. Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said the agency would review how it handles communication to the public during recalls. "It took us some time to figure out what was going on," she said. "We need to fix our process a little bit." FDA: Stop taking recalled cholesterol drug Between 3 million and 4 million people take Ranbaxy's atorvastatin, according to Ross Muken, senior managing director at ISI Group. The company has more than a 40% share of the generic Lipitor market. The FDA made no public statements on the recall until Thursday, when the agency said concerned patients should stop taking their medicine if their pharmacist confirmed it was from a recalled lot. After a conference call Friday afternoon with pharmacies and other groups, the agency decided to change their guidance. "Yesterday's statement was poorly phrased," Woodcock said Friday. "It made people think they should stop taking their medicine." The glass particles are "the size of a grain of sand," she added. The pills "aren't of the quality we would expect of a drug, but they aren't risky, either," Woodcock said. Ranbaxy has stopped making atorvastatin while they investigate how the glass got into the drug, according to the FDA. Recall leaves glass-specked drug in hands of patients

Amputee's 18-hour ordeal in Ironman triathlon

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com. By Vignesh Ramachandran, NBC News When Jeff Schmidt completed the Ironman triathlon in Hawaii earlier this fall, crossing that finish line after nearly 18 hours on the course meant more than just the end of a race. It signified a positive highlight in a long physical and emotional battle the San Jose, Calif. resident has faced for over a decade. "It was exciting, because it's a dream," Schmidt told NBCBayArea.com's Garvin Thomas. Fifteen years ago, Schmidt was a star player on his Missouri high school soccer team — a young man dreaming of a college career and then going pro. During the first playoff game of his senior year, he had just finished saving a goal, when another player hit the side of his shin as his leg was in the air. At that moment, Schmidt's life changed forever. "I knew instantly my leg was [broken]," Schmidt said. His leg ended up being set and cast in the wrong way, which caused permanent damage. That led to 10 years of constant pain, failed surgeries and not being able to walk very far. Schmidt faced depression and thoughts of suicide. "We didn't know how to handle that kind of stress," his wife, Jenny, told NBCBayArea.com. "It ... caused medical issues, financial issues, emotional issues. It was tough. We went through a lot of really, really hard times." Eventually in 2004, it was suggested that Schmidt should have his lower leg amputated. But the suggestion made him mad. "I felt like I had fought so hard to keep that foot and ankle that to suggest getting rid of it, to me was like giving up." Schmidt said. But three years after that suggestion, he went through with the amputation. "If something in your life is causing you nothing but anguish, and you can get rid of it, what do you do? You get rid of it," he said. A second chance At wife Jenny's suggestion, Schmidt, who now has a prosthetic leg, soon began training for triathlons like she was. That brings the story back to 2012 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter On the day of the triathlon, Oct. 13, Schmidt felt good going in to the race, but challenges eventually arose: The run portion turned into a walk for him. "I don't like to give up," Schmidt told NBCBayArea.com. "It's not something that is really in me to do." Then, just four miles from the end, race officials told him he would not make the finish line before the course officially closed at midnight. But that didn't stop Schmidt. "I had come too far not to finish," he said. Watch the Top Videos on NBCNews.com Nearly 18 hours after the race began, and half an hour past midnight, Schmidt was the last Ironman still going. But he crossed the finish line, last, to cheers. "We were in awe, really," said Tal Johnson, president and COO of Berkeley, Calif., race sponsor Goo Energy Labs. "All of us. You know -- grown men, experienced athletes who were moved to the point of tears." "Going through everything with my leg and the amputation, and to be able to come and finish at Kona ... to me it's one of the highlights of my life," Schmidt said. NBC Bay Area's Garvin Thomas contributed to this story. The 2012 Ironman World Championship was telecast by NBC Sports on Oct. 27. Next year's Ironman in Kailua-Kona takes place on Oct. 12, 2013. More content from NBCNews.com: Missouri Powerball jackpot winners revealed: 'We're still stunned by what's happened' Mystery man claims winning Powerball ticket ... in Maryland? For Salvation Army, there's gold in them thar kettles Dozens hospitalized after train derails near Philadelphia, spilling hazardous chemical Video: Sinkhole the size of four football fields stops traffic in Ohio Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Obama warns of 'Scrooge' Christmas without tax-cut deal

NEW: Nancy Pelosi predicts 100% of House would back a "middle-class" tax cut President Barack Obama urges quick deal on tax-cut extension for most Americans Republicans are balking at Obama's first proposal, including $1.6 trillion in revenue increases "There's a stalemate," House Speaker John Boehner says Hatfield, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- After touring a Pennsylvania toy factory that's churning out would-be holiday gifts, President Barack Obama warned Friday of a "Scrooge" Christmas if Congress does not pass legislation extending tax cuts for 98% of Americans. The visit and speech was part of Obama's campaign-like push to curry public support for his plan to avert the so-called fiscal cliff and the automatic tax increases and spending cuts that would come with it. "Let's get that done," Obama said of approving tax cuts for most Americans, while letting rates for the top 2% go up. "Let's go ahead and take the fear out for the vast majority of American families so they don't have to worry about $2,000 coming out of their pockets next year." In Washington, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, raised alarms about an impasse a month before the fiscal cliff would set in, to the detriment of the nation's fragile economic recovery, many economists warn. Boehner: 'There's a stalemate' "There's a stalemate. Let's not kid ourselves," Boehner said. With little evidence of a breakthrough, Obama has tried to amp up pressure on Republicans by making his pitch public. The Rodon Manufacturing Group plant in Hatfield that he visited makes K'Nex toys, which Obama jokingly offered to members of Congress who make his "nice" list. Not on that list are many House Republicans. The Democratic-controlled Senate has already passed legislation calling for the extension of tax cuts for all but the most wealthy Americans, but the matter has not come up for a vote in the House. Republicans who control that chamber, many of whom oppose any tax rate increases, have insisted the tax-cut extensions apply to all Americans and balked at considering separately the tax cut that applies to 98% of Americans. Obama says House Republicans are holding "hostage" something that would help the vast majority of the country to protect the wealthy few. "That doesn't make sense," the president said, urging Americans to flood House Republicans with calls, letters and social networking messages. Addressing the tax-cut extension for lower- and middle-class families is the most urgent "ticking clock" among the provisions in the "fiscal cliff" package of automatic tax increases and spending cuts that will take effect January 1 if lawmakers and the administration can't reach a compromise, Obama said. Without the cut, the administration has argued many Americans could pull back on purchasing during the crucial holiday shopping season. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi echoed Obama's sentiments, saying the election and polls show public support for extending the "middle class" tax cut while raising rates for the wealthiest. She and her caucus are ready to solicit the support of some Republicans in amassing 218 signatures to bring the Senate tax-cut extension bill up for a vote next week. "I think we would get 100 percent vote on it if it came to the floor," the California Democrat said Friday. The remarks came a day after the Obama administration unveiled details of a comprehensive package, widely rejected by Republicans, to avert the fiscal cliff. The president's proposal calls for $1.6 trillion in increased revenue, some of it the result of higher tax rates for families making more than $250,000. Obama also wants to close loopholes, limit deductions, raise the estate tax rate to 2009 levels and increase taxes on capital gains and dividend taxes. The proposal also calls for additional spending, including a new $50 billion stimulus package, a home mortgage refinancing plan and an extension of unemployment insurance benefits. It would also extend the payroll tax cut passed early in Obama's administration to give taxpayers more money to spend. In return, multiple sources told CNN that Obama is offering $400 billion in new cuts to Medicare and other entitlement programs. Specifics on cuts would be decided next year, the sources said. Boehner characterized Obama's proposal for spending cuts as a trifle, calling for "a little, not even $400 billion" in cuts to the $3.8 trillion federal budget. "It was not a serious proposal," he said. Republican aides also said the $1.6 trillion in increased revenue was higher than previously discussed. Democrats said the number should not be a surprise, as Obama discussed it during his re-election campaign. On the campaign trail, the president also repeatedly said the wealthiest Americans should pay more than they do now to help lower the national debt. Longer term, analysts and the Congressional Budget Office have said that going and staying over the fiscal cliff -- meaning the tax hikes for all and spending cuts aren't pulled back -- would threaten millions of jobs, especially those dependent on government contracting, and risk a return to recession. Wall Street and big businesses are lobbying the administration and lawmakers to reach a deal. Investors have been grappling with the uncertainty over the prospect of higher taxes and damaged consumer confidence caused by political gridlock over deficits and the debt. CNN's Jessica Yellin, Deirdre Walsh, Ted Barrett, Kate Bolduan, Paul Steinhauser and Dan Lothian contributed to this report.

Tennis ump's murder charge dropped

Charges are dismissed against a woman suspected of murdering her husband Suspect Lois Goodman is a tennis umpire who had worked the U.S. Open The prosecutor's office says the case was dropped because of "additional information" Goodman's attorney said earlier in November that his client's husband died in an accident Los Angeles (CNN) -- New evidence has persuaded Los Angeles County prosecutors to drop murder charges against a U.S. Open tennis umpire. Lois Goodman, 70, had been accused of bludgeoning her 80-year-old husband, Alan, with a coffee mug, and then fatally stabbing him with the broken mug's shards at their California home in April. "We received additional information regarding the case," Sandi Gibbons of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said Friday. "Based upon this information, we announced that we are unable to proceed with the case at this time. The court granted our request to dismiss the case without prejudice." The district attorney and police are still investigating the case, and "will not make any further statements that might compromise that investigation," Gibbons added. Police arrested Lois Goodman in New York in August as she was preparing for the U.S. Open tournament. Her preliminary court hearing had been scheduled for December 7 by Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Jessica Silvers. On November 8, Mrs. Goodman's lawyer, Robert Sheahen, maintained his client's husband died "an accidental death," and volunteered to let prosecutors check out Goodman's property. "It is not something we would be doing if we had anything to hide," he said at the time. "We don't feel we have anything to hide, and we want them to be able to come out and actually look at the scene so that they can see the scene consistent with the way we view it." In August, the assistant chief Los Angeles County coroner said Alan Goodman's death was no accident. "Mr. Goodman had injuries that were not, as reported, from a possible fall, and we did an autopsy, and it was determined that he died at the hand of another," Ed Winter said. The prosecutor had claimed on November 8 that the state had a "strong circumstantial case" against Lois Goodman.

What's driving Egypt's unrest?

Thousands of Egyptians have taken to the streets to protest a presidential edict The decree gave the president unchecked power until a new constitution was drafted President Morsy has been locked in a power struggle with factions of the old regime The hurried completion of a draft for a new constitution may provide a solution (CNN) -- In scenes reminiscent of the mass demonstrations that brought about the downfall of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in early 2011, thousands of protestors have turned out in Cairo's Tahrir Square over the past week. What is the behind the latest unrest? The protests have been sparked by a November 22 presidential decree issued by President Mohamed Morsy -- the first freely elected leader of this country of 83 million, the most populous Arab nation -- which prevented any court from overturning his decisions until a new, post-Mubarak constitution was ready. The ruling has essentially given him unchecked power. What was Morsy's rationale? Insisting the order is temporary - it will last only until a new constitution was drafted - Morsy claimed the move was intended to safeguard the revolution. He also gave an assurance his decree would only apply to "sovereign" matters. In particular, Morsy said, the edict was aimed at preventing interference from the courts in the work of Egypt's constituent assembly, currently drafting a new constitution. The judges, many of whom were appointed during the reign of his predecessor Mubarak, are widely viewed as hostile to the Islamists who now dominate the assembly that has been charged with framing a new constitution. The move, which has concentrated power in the hands of the executive, is a continuation of the power struggles between Morsy's Muslim Brotherhood - the Islamist movement which is Egypt's most powerful political force and won nearly half the seats in parliamentary elections -- and the remnants of the military-dominated establishment of the Mubarak years. In June, just weeks before Morsy's election, Egypt's military leaders declared parliament invalid and dissolved the body, a ruling which was upheld by Egypt's highest court in September. After his election, Morsy defied the military leader by calling parliament into session. Morsy's edict ruled out the possibility of repeat interference. In August, the president moved against the military leadership, sending into retirement Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi - who, as Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, had acted the country's de facto ruler in the wake of Mubarak's ouster and prior to Morsy's election. What has been the response? Morsy's decree has sharply divided Egyptians. While the Muslim Brotherhood is standing by their man, calling a rally to show support, many other Egyptians have seen the order as an alarming power grab - and a lurch back towards an authoritarian style of leadership the country has only recently overthrown. Left-leaning and liberal Egyptians -- who had played a large part in the revolution but were sidelined by the success of Islamists in subsequent elections -- made up a large component of the protestors in Tahrir Square. Many of their chants have accused Morsy, the first democratically elected president, of becoming a "new pharaoh" and a "dictator." Many of the original grievances behind the revolution were derived from questions around extreme inequality and corruption. Those issues have not been addressed. Laleh Khalili, School of Oriental and African Studies "In some ways, the liberal and left-wing forces are trying to stake a claim to the revolution again through the protests," Laleh Khalili, a reader in politics at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies, told CNN. The demonstrators, who have been calling on Morsy to rescind the edict or resign, also included those sympathetic to the military and the old regime, she said. How did it come about? Morsy issued his edict the day after the November 21 cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which he had played a central role in brokering. Khalili said that, buoyed with newfound political capital from his successful foray on the international stage, the Egyptian president may have miscalculated, underestimating the level of outrage his actions would provoke. The anger on the streets, she said, also reflected a level of public dissatisfaction with progress made since the revolution in addressing issues of poverty and inequality in a country with an unemployment rate of more than 12%, a median age of about 24 years and a per capita GDP of $6500. "Many of the original grievances behind the revolution were derived from questions around extreme inequality and corruption," she said. "Those issues have not been addressed." The protests represented "a perfect storm of many grievances coming to the fore," she said, and it was not clear how it would play out. "It's a fundamental challenge to the legitimacy of the regime." What else was in the declaration? Other aspects of Morsy's edict are likely to prove popular with many of those who have taken to the streets against him. In his decree, Morsy also announced that all deaths and violence connected to the uprising against Mubarak would be reinvestigated, with those responsible retried if necessary. This raised the possibility that Mubarak, currently serving a life prison term, could be reprosecuted, along with a number of regime figures who were previously acquitted. Some Egyptians have expressed disappointment that security forces and officials have escaped punishment over last year's violent crackdown on protestors. This could be a way for him to get out of this debacle without reversing his decree Aly Hassan, judicial analyst Morsy also sacked the prosecutor-general in his declaration, and extended the timeline for drafting the constitution by two months. But while those resolutions may be welcomed by many, the unilateral manner in which Morsy has gone about expanding his powers has alarmed many. "It's the way he's doing it that has gotten people upset, because it reminds them of the way Mubarak used to govern," Peter Jones, a Middle East expert at the University of Ottawa, told CNN. According to reports, one popular slogan during the current protests has been "Morsy is Mubarak." If Morsy's new powers are only temporary, why the outrage? Firstly, there is no guarantee that Morsy will relinquish power as promised. Secondly, even if Morsy rescinds the decree after the constitution is finalized, protesters fear that he will have used the edict to hijack the process of drafting the new constitution, producing a document that reflects his Islamist vision and consolidates his power in the new Egypt. Liberal, left-wing and Christian members of assembly have boycotted the body over concerns that Islamists are dominating the process. "By the time you get that new constitution, it will have been written by an Islamist-dominated assembly that all non-Islamists have completely abandoned, and the new parliamentary elections will likely exclude members of the former ruling party who posed the greatest threat to his authority," Eric Trager, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told CNN. What is happening with the constitution now? Despite the extended deadline to complete the framing of the constitution, the assembly charged with crafting the document rushed to produce a finalized draft on Friday, after a marathon 21-hour negotiation session through the night. The 234-article draft will go before the public for a vote within 15 days; if it passes the referendum, Morsy says the decrees would be lifted. Some critics have seen the move as a successful attempt by Islamists to "hijack" the constitution. Others see the hurried drafting of the document as a strategy to defuse the crisis: The passing of a new constitution could bring an end to Morsy's new provisions without requiring him to back down. "This could be a way for him to get out of this debacle without reversing his decree and decisions," Aly Hassan, a judicial analyst affiliated with the Ministry of Justice, told CNN. What does the drafted constitution say? The draft constitution maintains the principles of sharia as the main source of legislation - a position unchanged from the constitution under Mubarak. But critics fear it could lead to excessive restrictions on certain rights. "There aren't really any protections for women," Heba Morayef, the Egypt director for Human Rights Watch, told CNN. Mustapha Kamel Sayed, a Cairo University professor, told CNN the old constitution was better, "as far as rights are concerned." But others have welcomed the completion of the draft, as a way out of the current impasse. "The draft constitution will end the state of political division, because it will cancel the constitutional decrees that the president issued," Dawood Basil, a Cairo University constitutional law expert told CNN. "I feel overwhelming joy after hearing the final wording of the articles."

Charges dropped in coffee cup murder case

Andrew Burton / Reuters file Former tennis official Lois Ann Goodman is led away from the Manhattan Criminal Court on Aug. 23. By Jason Kandel, NBCLosAngeles.com The case against a tennis umpire accused of bludgeoning to death her husband has been dismissed, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said Friday. The announcement came during a preliminary hearing for Lois Goodman, 70. She was accused of stabbing her former husband of nearly 50 years, Alan Goodman, using a coffee mug as an improvised knife, prosecutors said. "The District Attorney's Office asked the court to calendar this matter today because we received additional information regarding the case," said Los Angeles County District Attorney spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said. "Based upon this information, we announced that we are unable to proceed with the case at this time. "The court granted our request to dismiss the case without prejudice." Gibbons declined further comment, saying "because there is an ongoing police and district attorney's investigation, we will not make any further statements that might compromise that investigation." Alan Goodman's bloodied body was found in their Woodland Hills home on April 17. Officers ruled the death suspicious, because they initially couldn't determine if foul play was involved, according to an LAPD press release. But after launching a full homicide investigation and working closely with the L.A. County Coroner's Office, detectives determined on Aug. 2 that Alan Goodman was killed, and they named his wife as the prime suspect, the LAPD said. Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter Goodman was arrested on Aug. 21 in New York, where she was set to work as a line judge at the U.S. Open. She has pleaded not guilty to murder and remains under house arrest. Veteran tennis official Lois Ann Goodman, 70, was scheduled to work the U.S. Open currently underway in New York but is instead home in California, out on bail after being charged with murdering her husband last April. NBC's Mike Taibbi reports. Goodman's attorneys claim the police botched the investigation and argued that Goodman was not physically capable of committing the slaying. They also said that her DNA was not found on the coffee mug and that she passed a lie detector test. A website and a Facebook page were set up to raise bail for Goodman. Family members praised Goodman in court records, arguing for her bail. In a character reference letter in support of a motion to reduce Goodman's bail on Aug. 28, Goodman's youngest daughter, Allison Goodman Rogers of San Diego, wrote that her mother "is the most honest, loving, kind, generous, funny and trustworthy person you could ever meet." Watch the Top Videos on NBCNews.com Goodman Rogers wrote that she was raised in a "normal Jewish family" in the San Fernando Valley and looked up to her parents as role models. She believes the death was an accident. "She would do anything for anyone," Goodman Rogers wrote in court documents. "Happily married to my father just shy of 50 years, there was never once a foul word between the two of them. There was never once any sort of violence between the two of them. "For her to even be accused of something like murdering my father is ludicrous! It's simply not possible." Goodman's eldest daughter, Joan Goodman, 48, of Glendale, wrote about fond memories of family trips to Palm Springs every other weekend. They went cherry picking and visited arts festivals in Laguna Beach. Joan Goodman wrote that her mother was not physically capable of such an act. She said her mother had many ailments, including a hearing aid, arthritis, two knee replacements, a shoulder replacement and back issues. "My parents were adorable together," Joan Goodman wrote in court documents. "He was the yin to her yang. They were united in all their decisions."