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Rocket Launch Makes History; Jury Reviewing Edwards Evidence; U.S. Airways Flight Diverted; U.S. Airways Flight 787 Diverted; Powell Not Ready To Endorse Obama; Booker Fires Back At Romney, GOP; TSA: U.S. Airways Flight Lands Safely

Aired May 22, 2012 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Martin Savidge. Nice to see you all. Thanks for being with us. I'm in for Suzanne, as Martie just said.

But let's get to the news, shall we?

They are concerned about chemicals in baby bottles and cribs and toys and other items, too.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PROTESTERS: Here we go! Everywhere we go! People want to know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: It's a veritable brigade of stroller moms, along with the dads, too, descending on Capitol Hill today. They say they want more regulation of toxic chemicals like flame retardant from the products that we use.

The group is backing the, quote, "Safe Chemicals Act," something sponsored by New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. FRANK LAUTENBERG (D), NEW JERSEY: Our current toxics laws allows too many untested chemicals on the market. And why should parents who would be left to wonder if the chemicals used in their babies' bottles, pacifiers, cribs are safe? The status quo is dangerous and unacceptable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Also making news, we're following up on a developing story that we've been covering -- death at the top of the world. Now at least four people have died while descending to southern slope of Mt. Everest. With these four deaths, the number of people killed on Everest this year alone has reached six.

This is the spring mountaineering season, the most popular time to climb the world's tallest peak.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Three, two, one, zero -- and launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as NASA turns to the private sector to resupply the International Space Station.

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BANFIELD: It's a beautiful thing -- boldly going where no private spacecraft has gone before. Three days after aborting the launch because of engine problems, it worked. SpaceX has done it, successfully launching the first private rocket off to the International Space Station. This is a really significant move because this could usher in a whole new era of space exploration.

Our John Zarrella was watching it at Kennedy Space Station in Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: History is certainly in the making as the Dragon spacecraft now in orbit is heading for the International Space Station. This is a total sea change in the way space flight has been for the last 50 years. NASA is turning over to private companies flying both cargo and eventually astronauts to the International Space Station so that it can use its limited dollars in order to eventually fly astronauts, an asteroid or onto Mars.

So this is the first major step in achieving those goals. Only four nations, only four governments in the world -- Russia, the United States, the European Union, and Japan -- have the capability of doing what SpaceX is attempting to accomplish. And this first big step, getting off the ground this morning, was applauded by both the head of SpaceX and by NASA's administrator.

ELON MUSK, CEO, SPACEX: Most of the company gathered around mission control, so -- and really seeing the fruit of -- they're seeing the fruit of their labors and wondering whether it's going to work. And there's so much hope riding on that rocket. So when it worked, Dragon worked, and the solar arrays deployed, people saw their handiwork in space and operating as it should. I mean, it was a tremendous elation.

CHARLES BOLDEN, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: What's really important is not control as much as it is the fact that the United States will once again be in the lead, will be providing our own vehicles to take our own astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station.

It's fine to rely on partners, but that's not where the greatest nation in the world wants to be. We want to be taking astronauts and cargo on our own vehicles. Today was a huge day in the step to getting there. So, you know, we're on the way, and people should hang with us.

ZARRELLA: Before you can say that this mission is a complete success, a couple of big hurdles yet to overcome. The Dragon capsule is going to have to rendezvous with the space station. Then there will be a series of checkouts to make sure all of the autonomous systems are working. They'll fly the Dragon underneath the space station.

If all that is a go, then very early on Friday morning, they will attempt to berth with the space station, unlike a docking. What will happen is astronaut Don Pettitte on the station will reach out with the ISS' robotic arm, he will grab the dragon capsule and very slowly bring it in and then berth it to the space station.

And that then will complete pretty much the most difficult parts of what is clearly a very historic mission.

John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BANFIELD: John, thank you for that. A Dragon and a Falcon in the sky, how cool is that?

Let's take you to North Carolina now. Jurors in the John Edwards trial taking a second look at a couple key pieces of evidence in that case. It's day three of deliberations in that federal corruption trial. The former presidential candidate is sitting there and waiting.

He's charged with illegally using almost a million dollars in campaign donations to cover up his love affair, his love child.

Our legal contributor Paul Callan is here with me.

So, I always like to read the tea leaves, although I know I shouldn't. But you do it best.

When you ask questions and you're a jury, it is significant. It tells you what they're thinking and where they may be headed.

PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAN COTRIBUTOR: Well, lawyers like to think that, and sometimes we predict well and sometimes we don't.

BANFIELD: They asked questions about the two top counts.

CALLAN: Yes, they did. Yesterday, I was interested in the questions as well. They seem to be focusing on the accounts dealing with contributions from Bunny Melon, the Bunny money, as it was called.

BANFIELD: And it's like $750,000. I mean, it's the most money there is.

CALLAN: It's a huge amount of money. She's the elderly heiress. I guess she's in her 90s now. She didn't testify, but she took a liking to John Edwards.

He reminded her of John F. Kennedy, and she was very disturbed that the press was criticizing him for getting a $400 haircut during the presidential campaign. I don't know if you remember that incident.

BANFIELD: I sure do, because I can't imagine a $400 haircut and I'm in TV.

CALLAN: Well, but his hair looks pretty good.

BANFIELD: I'll let that go (ph).

CALLAN: So, Bunny Melon called up the campaign and said, from now on, send the bills to me when John gets a haircut. He shouldn't have to deal with the press with respect to this.

BANFIELD: Are these the exhibits that they wanted to see?

CALLAN: That's one of the things they asked to see. They wanted to see Bunny Melon's famous haircut note. How do you read that tea leave?

Well, the Edwards defense is this is personal money from Bunny Melon to John Edwards, not intended as a campaign contribution, hence can't be a violation of law. The law, however, says, though, if the expense is being used in connection with a presidential campaign or a campaign for federal office, it is a federal expense. So the Bunny note could cut both ways. I mean --

BANFIELD: How do you make a connection? How does a juror -- that's an average guy like me. How do they make the connection as to whether it is or isn't a campaign donation?

CALLAN: Well, one of the things they were instructed by the judge was that if it's the kind of expense that would not be made except in a campaign, then it's personal. Now, I guess a haircut you could say would not be normally made --

BANFIELD: Or a love child.

CALLAN: Or a love child.

But how about a $400 haircut? The prosecutors could argue $400 haircuts are people who are in the public eye and are worried about their public image. That's not personal, that's professional.

BANFIELD: Or very, very wealthy people who aren't in the public eye have gotten used to a certain way of living.

CALLAN: As you can see, this is a tea leave that can be read either way, very, very difficult to read this.

But all of their questions seem to be focused on Bunny Melon. Those are the first two counts of the indictment, very important counts because they involved $750,000.

BANFIELD: You know what I can't believe is they asked for transcripts baud it's a month-long trial, and the judge says, no, you have to rely on your memory. That's so unfair.

CALLAN: And it's unusual, too. But those federal judges, they are tough. They're appointed by the president and they sit for life and, you know, they do what they want when they preside over trials.

BANFIELD: Do you stick around for next hour?

CALLAN: Sure thing.

BANFIELD: We're on verdict watch. This could happen any moment.

CALLAN: OK.

BANFIELD: Paul Callan, always great to see you. Thank you for your perspective on that.

I want to let you also on what we're working on for this hour: a deadly blast in Yemen. And now, a branch of al Qaeda coming forward saying it was us. What does this mean for a country that is truly on the verge of free first of all?

Then gas cans and volleyballs, even a Harley. Take a look at that mess. That is not the remnants of a bad picnic. That is debris from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and it's washing up on our shores.

Also, do you know that you can flex your own imagination muscles? It's true. You don't have to be the creative type. You can become the creative type, as a way to free your creativity. We'll tell you how.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Huge election excitement in Egypt. Take a look.

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BANFIELD: Looks like an uprising but that usually is excitement. That country for the first time in 5,000 years is going to be able to choose its own leader. Two days of voting get under way tomorrow, all of this coming just over a year after that uprising that forced Hosni Mubarak to step down there.

Egypt has been under military rule ever since. There are a lot of people wondering if the elections are actually going to change anything in that country.

Now, also, to Yemen where officials are blaming al Qaeda -- yes, al Qaeda, for a massive suicide bombing. If you didn't hear about this, it is a remarkable death toll, 100 people dead at least and 220 who were hurt in the capital.

All of this happening yesterday, troops were getting ready for a parade. Jihadists posted statements said to be from Ansar al-Sharia, a branch of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and they are claiming responsibility for this attack.

Our Michael Holmes joins us now from Atlanta.

So, listen, Michael, this is not the first time in recent days that we've been hearing about terror, terror plots and activity coming out of Yemen. It is starting to sound remarkably like a base. I don't want to suggest that. But is it a concern this is becoming like a mini-Afghanistan?

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: It is certainly base. There's no question that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP as it's called by the analysts, they're set up there in the south.

And this is what's worrying everyone. They have a change of government there. Arab spring change of government, Saleh there, a new president in. This sort of thing could have happened anyway.

As you know, Ashleigh, Yemen's best day is going to be a very bad day. You're talking about a country here that has massive unemployment. It's got corruption. It's got a Shia uprising in the north. It's got separatists in south. It's running out of oil and -- get this -- it's running out of water.

The capital Sana'a could become the first major urban center to run out of water in the years ahead, five to 10 years ahead. So, you've got an absolute ripe environment for al Qaeda to take root. And this is what has happened. We've seen it, in the south of the country particularly. And this is where you're seeing this sort of -- this sort of action take place.

What was interesting about this -- this was the first major attack in the capital most of the other action has been in the south and of course the export of terror across a very porous and long border with Saudi Arabia as well. For this to happen, not just in the capital but in an army parade is like al Qaeda saying to the Yemeni government, got you, you can't stop us, we'll take you on anywhere, any time we like.

This worries not just Yemenis. It worries the United States incredibly.

BANFIELD: That is getting a lot of attention as well. Michael Holmes, thank you for that.

I actually just want to jump in for a second. We've got some breaking news that I want to bring to you.

A spokesperson with U.S. Airways is confirming to CNN that U.S. Airways flight 787 that was bound out of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris said to be arriving in Charlotte had to be diverted to Bangor, Maine, because of a, quote, "security issue".

Officials are not being more verbose than that but suggesting there are no additional details they can release to us except that that has happened. We don't know how many people are on board or what that security issue is. But again, that is the confirmation from U.S. Airways, spokesperson.

Chad Myers joining me with additional details.

What do you know, Chad?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, Bangor, Maine, would be the first big airport that a plane in any type of distress would get to on the way over from there, and that's what they're doing now. They still had about a two-hour window to fly to Charlotte, but because it's near Bangor, that's the track.

Typically, the track is going to right over Nova Scotia and into the Charlotte regional airport. Because Bangor is right there, they made a little diversion to the right and landed there in Bangor. We were watching this flight on our flight explorer and it did get down to 300, 400 feet and appeared to make a landing on our maps.

Now, clearly, I don't have any visual on this yet, but we'll have to see what happens with this plane and why this plane was diverted to that airport. Just a small, little diversion to get to Bangor, but it's obviously 2 1/2 shorter than going all the way to Charlotte.

BANFIELD: I want to jump in with Lizzie O'Leary, who is our correspondent based in Washington, D.C.

Lizzie, do you have any additional details on this and maybe what kind of aircraft this might be making a transatlantic flight?

LIZZIE O'LEARY, CNN AVIATION & REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's a 767, that's a pretty -- you know, a Boeing aircraft, pretty common for this kind of flight. They have a pretty large capacity, but we don't know from the airline how many people were on board. They did say a security issue.

And that's interesting, Ashleigh, in that this is -- was pretty immediately kicked over toward the people who handle more security- based things. We talked to the FAA, and they put us in touch with the TSA, the Department of Homeland Security. They are not confirming things at this point. But certainly the immediate read on this is it was a security issue and that's what the airline is telling us.

Chad is pointing out this is a pretty quick diversion from the aircraft's normal flight path. It would essentially head down the Eastern Seaboard after it crossed the Atlantic. That's what they do. We're reaching out to federal law enforcement officials to figure out any other details.

U.S. Airways said the plane would be landing shortly or was already on the ground but they did not know if it had touched down in Maine, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Lizzie, do you have any idea where the point of no return would be? Just sort of -- I'm trying to do the math in my head. If it takes from Charles de Gaulle, how long would bit into the flight before they would decide they've got to continue crossing to America instead of returning back?

O'LEARY: Well, they would already be pretty significantly across the Atlantic when their diversion part was Bangor or somewhere farther north or on the European side. But they essentially go as far north as they can and cut over quickly and go straight south down the coast to avoid a long time over the Atlantic.

BANFIELD: All right. We're going to keep on looking into details on this. If you could stand by, Lizzie, for a moment. I'll fit in a quick break.

In the meantime, we'll look at any other details U.S. Airways is releasing to us. We can confirm a 787 from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to Charlotte, diverted to Bangor, Maine. U.S. airways confirming this to us saying only that it is, quote, "a security issue." They're giving us no other details at this point.

Back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK

BANFIELD: I want to get you up to speed on some breaking news that we have coming in to CNN. U.S. Airways had a flight that was bound from Charles de Gaulle in Paris, to Charlotte here in the United States. It had to make a diversion and land in Bangor, Maine.

We can tell you it is a plane like the one you are seeing on your screen. It's a 767, a Boeing 767, U.S. Airways flight number 787. It's safely on the ground now. It has landed in Bangor.

Lizzie O'Leary, our aviation and regulation correspondent, is live in Washington, D.C.

Were you able to get anything out of the TSA on this?

O'LEARY: Yes, they just told us, Ashleigh, that the flight has landed safely and it is a little bit confusing because the flight's number is 787, that's not the type of airplane it is. They said that the flight has landed safely in Bangor, Maine. TSA is aware of reports of a passenger who exhibited suspicious behavior during the flight. That's the way they characterize it.

Out of caution, it was diverted to Bangor where it was met by law enforcement. This is all they're telling us right now about sort of who caused this diversion, what caused this diversion, reports of a passenger exhibiting suspicious behavior.

They've diverted the plane to Bangor. It is on the ground now. The flight number was U.S. Airways flight 787 from Charles de Gaulle in Paris to Charlotte here in the U.S., and this was a Boeing 767. That bit is a little bit confusing. We don't know how many folks were on the plane yet. U.S. Airways is not giving us that info yet. The plane is on the ground and being met by local law enforcement, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: So, the TSA telling you a passenger was exhibiting suspicious behavior. And I can also tell you that a spokesperson with U.S. Airways named Andrew Christy has confirmed to CNN only that there was a security issue, not going any further than that, a security issue. And confirming also that it was the flight number 787, U.S. Airways flight number 787.

I want to bring in Chad Myers, as well, who has been tracking this flight.

I was mentioning earlier, you've got the map behind you, that that kind of a diversion, why particularly Bangor? Why not Newfoundland? Why not somewhere else?

MYERS: I think they wanted to get back on U.S. soil. But I will show you where the diversion took place in just a second.

It seems like you think to yourself, wow, this went to Maine. It was supposed to go to Charlotte. That's way off course, but not really.

Planes from Charles de Gaulle or from London would not take a straight line to charlotte. They would take this curved line all the way across the northern part of the United States, literally right over New York City, and down the East Coast to Charlotte. Now we'll zoom this in until it starts to break up. But what the normal flight path should have been following this blue line.

But at this very last weekend, literally over the Bay of Fundy in the Newfoundland, it did take a little bit of a right turn and diverted there in Bangor. Not as significant as saying, wow, this thing went to Maine, didn't go to North Carolina. It's not literally that bad.

This thing was right on the track -- Bangor just a few miles away from the track. They took it to Bangor to a U.S. place. And then you have all the passengers that were trying to get to the U.S., they now can go through U.S. Custom because that's where they were going anyway.

And if they were on visas, that's why they want to go to the U.S. airport -- the closest U.S. airport and probably not a Canadian airport.

BANFIELD: But does that also, Cad, tell you if it's a security issue, visas be damned, they want that thing down on the ground, it doesn't matter what country you're landing in? Does that give you some indication, look, abundance of caution means just that, let's just get to U.S. soil?

MYERS: I'm telling you from when the diversion took place, it's hard to see on this map, it may have been only 70 miles to get to Bangor to get to the diversion spot, to the Bangor airport compared to staying on course to the charlotte airport. But, yes, of course, obviously, if this is something very, very bad, they would look to the ground and find the nearest roadway if they had to.

But that's not the way this happened. This was a planned diversion to Bangor into a U.S. airport. And, you know, even unruly passengers, passengers that have had too much to drink and don't act properly can make diversions like this happen. It makes a lot of other people very, very angry.

BANFIELD: Yes. It makes the rest of us awfully concerned coming off the heels only a few weeks ago of a new underwear bomb that was found in Yemen, as well.

I do want to let our viewers know, Chad, that this flight was met by law enforcement, as well. That was the TSA statement to us that it was, in fact, a suspicious person, a person behaving suspiciously on the plane, that led them to make this diversion and that this flight safely land and was met by law enforcement.

I'm going to squeeze in a quick break as we continue to collect more details on this flight. U.S. Airways flight number 787, bound here from Paris to Charlotte, a Boeing 767. You're not landing in Charlotte. You're in Bangor, Maine, instead, and hopefully your family members are finding out now that you are safe and on the ground at this point.

Back right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Just want to get you up to speed on some breaking news that CNN has been following. We have confirmation from U.S. Airways that flight number 787 that was on its way from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris to Charlotte here in the United States did not make its intended destination.

It was diverted. The airline is telling us the reason, quote, "a security issue." Now we're told by the TSA that that large capacity Boeing 767 jetliner has actually landed in Bangor, Maine and it has been met by law enforcement officials.

That is the kind of plane we're looking at on your screen, it's not the plane, but it is the kind of plane, the 767. Again, large- capacity plane, but we don't know how many people on board. We also don't know exactly what the security issue was.

But we do know this from the TSA. Apparently, a passenger was exhibiting some suspicious behavior. I can't tell you anything more than that because the TSA is not telling us anything more than that.

Hopefully, law enforcement will be able to get to the bottom of that. We will continue to collect details and bring you that, as well.

In the meantime, a lot of people coming in, political gut check today. This is your late breaking injection of the political news driving tomorrow's headlines.

Our political director, Mark Preston, is joining me live now from Washington. Colin Powell getting into things kind of, I think we can say. He's got a book, making the talk show rounds, and not saying the things that he said back in 2008. I'm talking about an endorsement. Why?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, you know, remember, Ashleigh, back just a few weeks before the November election in 2008, Colin Powell made big news when he came out and endorsed Barack Obama for president.

Colin Powell, the Republican, you know, and still is, endorsing the Democrat. That was very big news. But today he wasn't so willing to get right behind President Obama. In fact, let's listen to what he said on the "Today" show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: I always keep my powder dry, as we say in the military. I listen to what the president says and what he's doing, but I also have to listen to the other guy. I've known Mitt Romney for many years, a good man. It's not just a matter of whether you support Obama or Romney. It's who they have coming in with them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PRESTON: Then you have Colin Powell just a few hours ago on the "Today" show saying that he's not ready to make an endorsement for the presidential race. I went back and I listened to the interview he did with "Meet the Press" when he made that endorsement.

A couple things struck me at that time. First of all, he said that the Republican Party was going too far to the right at the time and that brought him a lot of concern. He also didn't like the fact that John McCain chose Sarah Palin, who he said wasn't ready for the job.

And also at the time, he described President Obama, then Senator Obama as a transformational figure. So now you have to ask yourself, does he no longer think that President Obama is transformational?

And is he really looking to see if Mitt Romney can take the Republican Party and keep it more in the center instead of having it go a little bit to the right? It will be interesting to see what Colin Powell does over the next couple months -- Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Right, or, Mark, maybe he's waiting to find out who Mitt Romney is going to choose as his VP candidate before he decides to weigh in on that since it made such reverberations last time.

PRESTON: Yes, no doubt. I mean, certainly going to have some kind of role in who he decides to pick.

BANFIELD: OK, let's move on to Cory Booker, the now very famous Newark, New Jersey, mayor who some say stepped in it and others say was telling it like it is when he criticized both not only the Obama campaign, but Mitt Romney's campaign for getting -- I'll just throw the word in there -- too dirty. He was not happy about it. I don't know. The dominos seemed to keep falling. Is this thing over? Is it going to go away or are we going to continue to see more ads using bits and pieces of what people say on "Meet the Press"?

PRESTON: Well, we're going to certainly continue to see Cory Booker in the news. This is something that we wrote about yesterday, which it's really bad for a candidate when one of his top surrogates goes out and becomes the news of the day.

And that's what Cory Booker has been now for a couple days since he went out and criticized really the negative tone of the campaign, not only being directed by the "Super PACs," which is the independent expenditures, but also the candidates themselves.

By doing that, the Republicans immediately seized upon that and they said that, look, even Cory Booker says that Mitt Romney's campaign should not be going after the whole of private equity and investment in America.

Now we are going to continue to see this. We already saw just an hour ago. We saw the Romney campaign doing another conference call with reporters to try and hammer home this message that President Obama is not good for business and is not good for creating jobs.

And then, look, look what happened less than 24 hours ago at the NATO Summit. President Obama is up there trying to talk about international issues and he's being forced to talk about this campaign specifically about Cory Booker's comments.

It's not very good for a candidate to have to do that. You know what, Ashleigh, it's not going away anytime soon.

BANFIELD: Boy, it feels like aeons ago we were talking about social issues and same-sex marriage, but now it seems to be all about the economy and of course, Bain, and the fallout from Booker.

I want to talk about the new poll that's come out that shows there's an absolute split between these two candidates when it comes to who Americans think is more likely to be able to fix the economy. That's a dead heat, folks, 47 percent to 47 percent.

President Obama and Mitt Romney coming in dead even. So I guess the question is, is this a philosophical debate now for Americans between, you know, the government intervention and free market capitalism or is it who's campaigning better about those issues?

PRESTON: I think it's both. And, look, it's something that has been talked about for the last year or so. We just haven't heard Mitt Romney being able to come above the fray, so to speak.

He's been engaged in the Republican primary trying to fight back the attacks on his right from his primary opponents at the same time, fighting back the attacks from his left from President Obama. So what we're seeing now is a whole discussion about how can you turn the economy around. That "Washington Post" poll, which was just out this morning, really hits it home. The fact of the matter is we've known, Ashleigh, all along this is issue number one.

The fact of the matter is people are out of work, they're losing their homes, and they want to know how it's going to be turned around. I got to tell you. The most fascinating number that came out of this "Washington Post" poll is that 17 percent of Americans in their poll now said that the economy was either excellent or very good.

I have to ask you, who do you think these 17 percent is? You know, who are these people that think we're doing very well right now with our economic conditions?

BANFIELD: Always great to talk to you. Just a wealth of knowledge. We have to have coffee sometime.

PRESTON: Absolutely.

BANFIELD: On me. Mark Preston, nice to see you. Thanks very much.

Also want to let you know, if there's breaking political news you'll hear about it first on CNN's "Political Gut Check." You can get the information straight to your inbox every afternoon. Just e-mail mark at gutcheck@cnn.com. He reads all your e-mails and responds, I'm told.

Are you having a hard time getting those creative juices flowing? We'll talk with "The New York Times" best-selling author whose new book aims to put the power of creativity right into your hands.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you. Well, here on the "Help Desk" today, we are talking about retirement planning that matters for people at any age.

With me some great experts, Ryan Mack is president of Optimum Capital Management, Stacey Francis is a financial adviser and president of Francis Financial.

We've got an e-mail from Dennis in Virginia. He's 64 years old. He'll retire in two years. He said my wife and I have around $1.3 million in savings. How should we divide the money in terms of stocks, bonds, et cetera so obviously a little more risk averse at that age.

STACY FRANCIS, FINANCIAL ADVISER: A little bit more risk averse and often it will start off with a 60-40 allocation, 60 percent stocks, 40 percent bonds, and then it deviates based on your goals, risk tolerance and when you need the money.

They may not need to touch the money immediately. If they need the money immediately then we want to take a year's worth of their living expenses they'll pull from their portfolio. Keep it in a high interest savings account and take the rest for the longer-term savings and diversify.

HARLOW: What do you think the best time, Ryan, to start planning? Really when you get your first job.

RYAN MACK, PRESIDENT, OPTIMUM CAPITAL MANAGEMENT: Right out of college. Everybody goes through different stages of live. You have your accumulation phase, conservation phase and distribution phase.

Accumulation, you're starting your job. Learn and read as much as possible. Get that 401 k. Read the benefits package. You'd be surprised how few people know what is in their funds. Make sure you're having a good analysis of your financial adviser if you choose to have one.

HARLOW: Absolutely. There's so much free online as well. Thanks, guys.

If you have a question, send us an e-mail anytime to CNN "Help Desk" at cnn.com. Back to you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: We're following breaking news of a U.S. Airways Flight number 787 that was bound for Charlotte from Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris, but it is not sitting in Charlotte. It is sitting on a runway in Bangor, Maine.

There on your screen live pictures courtesy of our affiliate WLBZ. Passengers who are on board that plane are probably more than likely about to be getting off that plane awfully soon.

This is after a security issue over the Atlantic forced a diversion to Bangor, Maine. Our aviation and regulation correspondent Lizzie O'Leary is live in Washington, D.C., with further information about the passengers. What do you know?

LIZZIE O'LEARY, AVIATION AND REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know, Ashleigh, that this was an almost-full flight from De Gaulle to Charlotte. About 179 passengers, nine crew. That's coming from U.S. Airways. That is an almost full flight.

A plane of about this size can handle some 200 people on board, 205 or so. Looking at those pictures right now, I do see stairs up by the rear door of the aircraft. It's hard to tell if anybody is coming out of those now.

What we do know from the TSA is that they had reports of suspicious behavior by a passenger. Out of abundance of caution, they say the plane was diverted to Bangor, Maine. You and Chad have been talking about this.

It's not all that far off the normal flight path of this flight, which would have crossed the Atlantic at a fairly northern point and then turned and made to come down the east coast, Bangor a quick jog to the right.

But 179 passengers on board, nine crew according to U.S Airways. And that is an almost full flight for this flight and for this type of plane -- Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: There's something else the TSA telling us, Lizzie, that this flight was met by law enforcement officials. I don't know a thing about the airport that we're looking at right now and I'm not going to suggest for a moment that you do either, Lizzie.

But what I am curious about is when there is a security issue like this and a flight has to be brought down and perhaps there's an unruly passenger or a passenger who's acting suspicious. Do they often keep the plane away from the actual terminal and then bring the staircase or do they at times actually bring it up and attach the jetway? Or do they just -- do they want that separation of space for any particular reason?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, that separation of space is pretty much standard practice for any type of diversion, certainly one with any reports of an unruly or suspicious passenger on board, or in some cases even if you had a mechanical problem, a plane would often divert to a slightly more remote runway, would not come up to the airport, they would not attach the jetway. That's pretty much standard protocol in any sort of situation like that. Certainly we saw something similar when that JetBlue flight -- when the pilot started acting in an unusual fashion. That was diverted to Amarillo. A similar situation. It tends to be met at a more remote runway. That's pretty much standard practice for how they do this.

BANFIELD: You know, I've been on a flight before where law enforcement officials boarded the plane through a jetway that was connected to the terminal because there was a drunk behaving badly and he was escorted off in handcuffs. And that's why I wondered if, you know, passengers behaving suspiciously can all be classified absolutely differently and you might see someone taken off this way who's not just a drunk.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, you certainly might. I mean I think at this point the TSA, you know, is remaining somewhat loose in their characterization here. They're saying, you know, reports of suspicious behavior and that and the runway pretty much tell us that they are treating this as a law enforcement situation now until any other information comes forward that would indicate that they need to treat it in any other way.

BANFIELD: All right, just to quickly wrap this up. Again, 767 that you're seeing on your screen, this live picture courtesy of our affiliate WLBZ out of Bangor, Maine, sitting on that runway. And all those passengers on board were expecting to be in Charlotte, not in Maine. But they are in Maine because of a diversion. They were headed from Paris, the Charles De Gaulle Airport. But because of some kind of a security issue that's not being made clear to us yet, that was a diversion that was necessary. TSA going further than US Airways to us in saying that there was a passenger exhibiting suspicious behavior. So we'll continue to follow any of the developments. And as soon as those passengers are offloaded and we find out more, we're certainly going to bring that to you. We're live here on CNN. Back in a moment.

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BANFIELD: Got some really good business news for you today. It looks like the tides just might be starting to shift in parts of the housing market in this country. Hurray. Because prices have been frozen now for a couple of years. A lucky few? A serious thaw (ph) just might be about to happen. Our Alison Kosik is following this all live from the New York Stock Exchange. She joins me now.

So this is great news for a lot of people, and especially for people who are under water in their mortgages.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, it really is. You know, considering where the housing sector has been, it's good to hear finally some good news, right? So we're finding out that home prices are actually soaring by the double digits in some places. So you're right, Ashley, the tide really is turning, especially in Madera, California, where prices are expected to rise 22 percent by the end of next year, fingers crossed there. In Medford, Oregon, a 20 percent increase is expected there as well. If you want the full list, you can go to CNN Money for that.

Keep in mind, though, a lot of this is because those places that I mentioned got hammered during the recession. Look at Madera. Prices fell more than 50 percent from their peak. So let's say you had a home that went for $375,000 five years ago, it recently sold for $127,000. So basically what's happened here is Madera found a bottom. And what happens with the housing market, Ashleigh, is that it can't recover until a bottom is hit. And that may be happening as we speak.

Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: And that was such a question, where is that darn bottom.

KOSIK: Yes.

BANFIELD: Especially for the people in Florida, Arizona, and Nevada. Are those the three that the worst -- suffered the worst?

KOSIK: They really did. Those are some of the areas that have suffered the worst. And then if you look at the broader market, you're not seeing great improvement. You're not seeing that 20 percent gain for the broader market.

But, you know what, let's look on the bright side for a moment. There is improvement in the broader market. We had a report come out today about existing home sales showing that they hit a two-year high in April. And we look at this report because it is one of the most important housing reports because home resales, they account for about 90 percent of the overall market.

And more good news, home prices overall are inching their way up, too.

BANFIELD: Good.

KOSIK: And what it really shows is that the recovery is taking hold, housing is finding its footing. You know, no doubt about it, we've got a long way to go, but it is on the right track, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: I like hearing that. Alison Kosik, you are invited back. Thank you very much, my friend.

KOSIK: Thanks.

BANFIELD: We are following that breaking news of that flight that was diverted from Paris to Bangor, Maine. A live picture on your screen. More on the breaking news in a moment.

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BANFIELD: So we've been following this breaking news of this flight, which is a US Airways flight, number 787, from Paris to Charlotte. It was diverted to Bangor, Maine. And if you look carefully on your screen, you might be able to see buses that have been dispatched to that plane, possibly to take the passengers off of the plane. But you can see on the left-hand side of your screen, at least one of those buses.

And now we are learning a very interesting detail about what happened as this flight was being diverted. We've had confirmation there was suspicious activity from a passenger. And now NORAD is confirming to us, from Lieutenant Colonel Mike Humphreys, that two F- 15 aircraft had to be dispatched and scrambled to direct that plane to land in Bangor, Maine.

They're being very cagey about these details. They're not even telling us where those F-15s were based out of. And they're not telling us any more other than a suspicious passenger or a passenger behaving suspiciously. Originally, when we got the information from US Airways, they said it was a security issue, period, and they didn't tell us why they chose Bangor, Maine, but they landed there after having taking off from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris.

Then when we got a comment from the TSA, the TSA said to us, a little bit further, saying that it wasn't just suspicious activity, it was one suspicious passenger. One passenger behaving suspiciously. And we also know that that plane, as it sits on the runway, and those pictures live to us are coming courtesy of our affiliate WLBZ, was met by law enforcement officials.

That's a Boeing 767, if you -- if you know your planes. It's also a plane that can hold a capacity of about 200 passengers. We're also told by US Airways that this was almost to capacity. This was almost a full flight. They had 179 passengers on board and nine crew members. So presumably that's what those buses could be for, as we continue to watch this and get -- we'll try to get more information out of NORAD about those scrambled F-15 aircraft, those fighter jets that glided that thing back into American air space and to Bangor, Maine. We will bring it to you.

A quick break. Back after this with breaking news.

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