want to begin with this afternoon's scary situation on board this air liner and i am sure it was equally frightening for drivers on the ground who say parts of the plane were hitting cars. we can tell you the jet landed safely. i want to bring in lizzie o'leary, our aviation spore kond ent. what do we know? what happened? >> we can take it from sort of two sides. what was happening on the ground, those parts of the plane, potentially the debris field and what was happening in the air. there you see pictures from our affiliate cb-24 in canada, pieces of did he pree they say fell from the ski. the blackberry is to i have give you a sense of comparison. now, switching over to what we know from the air side, we are talking about an air canada plane, a boeing triple 7, a twin engine plane, a large pass engineer judget that left toronto at around 2:10 this afternoon carrying 318 passengers and 16 crew members according to air canada. after take off there was an engine shutdown. this is a swin engine plane and can fly on one so they turn around and implemented the standard procedure which is to go back to toronto and they did an emergency landing and the plane landed normally and taxied to the gate and there will be a full investigation. they say they couldn't confirm this debris did in fact come from their plane but they're looking into it and certainly according to witnesses on the ground folks who were calling into the local police department and those pictures that you have seen looks like quite a debris field that may have come from that plane, brooke. >> if we're talking engine shutdown, this is from the airline spokesperson, have we talked to passengers on board? did it feel odd? did they notice what was happening? >> it sort of depends on what prompted that engine shutdown because there could be an event in which you would notice that significantly. there could be a fire or even just a fire warning and that would prompt the crew to shut down that engine and turn around. it could be something they noticed and also something that was handled smoothly and didn't know and we won't know until we have more details from passengers and the airline on what exactly promptedes that emergency landing. >> keep us posted. i want to bring in aviation attorney mary schiavo and i appreciate you joining us. we can't confirm definitively the debris that looks like rocks did in fact come from this particular 777 jet, but if this is true and the pieces were falling, how often do you hear something like this happening? >> well, i worked several cases where there have been parts that have fallen from planes and the most famous is the concord where a piece from the continental jetliner that took off before it actually brought down the plane but the clues are very important. the engine shutdown and the parts from the plane sounds like what the plane experienced is something called an uncontained engine failure. what happens in an uncon fand engine failure, parts are literally reflected from the engine and most cases no one is hurt and fortunately as in here and in some cases they can penetrate the fuselage and cause i problem but it does sound like the plane experience and had thank heavens it landed safely on one engine. >> you're saying it could have been an uncontained engine failure. is this something they notice on the ground before they go up? >> no, no. the problem is a part, a turbine blade and often what happens is one of them breaks off, comes lose or experiencing a problem and spinning at such a high rate of speeds it takes out other parts and the engine cowling while it is supposed to help the parts of the engine, if they're flying off it can pierce the engine or simply exit the plane. there is also the possibility they had a bird strike or something like that that took out parts of the plane as well and there have been cases where parts of a flap fell over texas and engine and parts of landing gear and i won't say routinely but it happens several times a year. >> we'll look into the investigation and see what caused this to happen o this day the u.s. honors its war dead. there are new calls for the u.s. use of military force. this time to stop the slaughter in syria. the it laest outrage over the weekend, a massacre, the total number of deaths 108. the chilling part is that 49 of those were children. this happened in a syrian town and u.n. and air negotiator kofi annan called it, quote, an appalling crime as he arrived in the capital city of damascus trying to revooif his peace plans. tonight she joins us from new york. arwa, we talked about this before. when you hear this number, 49 children, it is chilling. it is horrific. do we know what caused this? has anyone claimed responsibility? >> well what, we have, brooke, is the same scenario where both sides are blaming each other for the violence and the marines are saying these were caused by aurmd terrorist gangs and the opposition is saying that this was a slaughter carried out by the regime. u.n. mob tors on the ground did say a number of wounds they saw appear to be sustained by artillery and weapons that the syrian government has at its disposal. from what we have been able to piece together, the shelg of this town began on friday and once the dust cleared from that according to residents who were there, pro government thugs went through house to house rounding people up and gunning them down as if they were sheep. that is how one survivor described it. these 49 children according to the u.n. team on the ground were also under the age of 10. these are not come bif actives. they're the boast innocent of the innocent and the rooms they had were i know describable. they're so gruesome we can't broadcast them. little girn there and little shirts loved in blood and some had devastating wounds to the skull and other parts of the body and in one clip you saw them lined up and it looked as if they were leaping from far away and someone put them to rest. yet these are the youngest victims of this one massacre that took place in this one city and the single day and most certainly is not the only massacre we have seen happening since this uprising began. >> i know as our viewers have been watching the story and wondering whether will this stop and you had the visit today and last week it was our colleague and i am hold there is no plan b and you and i have spoken about the cease-fire and it is ridiculous to imagine that's in exist eps right now given what's happened over the weekend. what is kofi annan hoping to accomplish with this visit? >> hypothetically speaking it would be sputing some sort of pressure on the syrian government to actually adhere to its portion of this so-called 6-point peace plan and first and moer foes the withdrawal from vinls and cities we have not seen materialize at this point. it would be a lull in the have i rinse that would pave the way but it is an unrealistic scenario. this is a peace plan at best slightly feasible at the on set and in the weeks that have passed since then, it is inbledably clear it is death and that is what the syrian opposition is say. the free syrian army, the rebel fighting force also declaring this cease fair plan dead in the water saying they have no choice but to retake up arms and continue targeting government forces and of course there is no plan b and it most certainly teams as if syria is barrelling on this part of all out simple car, all out warfare that most certaintily is unbalanced and the international community is sitting back and its hands are tied because of politics and very other circumstance, and we have seen history like this playing out before. >> it is a question of who steps in and when and how can it be stopped or -- good to see you in north korea. today we should point out the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, yes, u.s. military action is a possibility to stop the killing in syria. here he was. >> my job is to provide the commander in chief with options and i think the military option should be considered and i think my preference of course always as the senior military leader would be that the international community could find ways of increasing the pressure on its side to do the right thing and step aside. >> ent wasn't just jep dempsey talking about this. you see the president and human cost of military action very much so many on president obama's mind today on this memorial day and he observed today by placing this wreath at the arlington cemetery's you tomb you mean unknowns and you see the wall, all 52,000 names echd behind him, the vietnam army. >> across the country in san diego mitt romney and senator john mccain attended a memorial day ceremony. as well romney called for the u.s. to maintain a strong military warning that the world is not safe. still ahead a veterans charity poo fights complaints it isn't really helping despite collecting tens of millions of collars and next the test and a hounder of a group trying to help heel military families drug children that have lost loves ones to war. >> all of us can and should ask ask how we can help you shoulder a burden nobody should have to bear alone. 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[ male announcer ] for our families... our neighbors... and our communities... america's beverage companies have created a wide range of new choices. developing smaller portion sizes and more low- & no-calorie beverages... adding clear calorie labels so you know exactly what you're choosing... and in schools, replacing full-calorie soft drinks with lower-calorie options. with more choices and fewer calories, america's beverage companies are delivering. as long as i am president we will make sure you and your loved ones receive the benefits you earned and the respect you deserve. america will be there for you. >> president obama speaking at arlington national cemetery earlier today. we wanted to take a moment to highlight a group whose mission is to be there for the families of the fallen. if you never heard of this video, it is the good grief camp, a memorial day weekend event sponsored by the tragedy assistance program for survivors, taps, and they help military families cope after losing a loved one and over this past weekend they brought together 1,200 families in the nation's capitol for refuge and really just to remember. >> i brought my kids five months after my husband died because i wanted them to know they were not the only kids that lost a parent and i wanted them to know there is a place they can go and to where they feel normal and don't always have to talk about what happened and we're all here for the same reason. >> bonnie carol is the president and founder and joins me live from wash be with a. nice to see you. let me point out for the viewers, are you a veteran and served in the military and the air force re serve and the air national guard. nice to see you. i want to talk about the benefits it sounds like for kids feeling a sense of normalcy and i have to ask about you. you lost your husband and founded taps soon after and i know here you are with your husband. i know this morning you were at the white house. you and other surviving family members had breakfast with the president and the first lady. tell me about that and a little something about that conversation with mr. obama. >> we really had the chance to talk with the president and the first lady about the work taps is doing with the families of america's fallen heroes and taps let's families know that america remembers and honors their service and sacrifice regardless of how or where the death occurred and in taps we have families that lost loved ones not just in combat but to suicide, illness, accidents, and taps is there to honor their life and their service. >> you're there 24/7 as you point out on your website. this past weekend it was the 18th year of the good grief camp and it is beneficial for the parents and also for the kids as well. why? >> the children learn that america honors their loved one' service and sacrifice and learn they're not alone in their grief and they meet other kids their same age and talking the same language of loss and they're paired one-on-one with a military mentor and get that buddy and get to reconnect with the military their family was so much a part of. >> speaking of the mentors, i want to play a little sound, senior airman lewis of the air force. >> it is a really benefit and the active duty individuals benefit from it as well and you really get a sense of pride in what you're doing and it is one of the best ways to serve even outside of the uniform itself. >> who are these mentors, bonnie, and i am sure their role is -- can't really put a price tag on what it is they do for these families. >> absolutely. taps recruits hundreds and now thousands of military members who we train to work with the child and experiencing a traumatic loss and for the mentors it is an opportunity to share their own grief and be in the safe place where they can honor their fallen battle buddies. >> bonnie carol, we appreciate you and your service and the work you're doing with taps. thank you so much. >> thank you. >> happy memorial day. >> tonight a charity for disabled veterans is fighting accusations it is taking people's money and not at all helping veterans in any useful way and next the astronauts that go inside this supply ship visiting the international space station. transitions® lenses automatically filter just the right amount of light. so you see everything the way it's meant to be seen. experience life well lit, ask for transitions adaptive lenses. how did the nba become the hottest league on the planet? by building on the cisco intelligent network they're able to serve up live video, and instant replays, creating fans from berlin to beijing. what can we help you build? nice shot kid. the nba around the world built by the only company that could. cisco. now's the time to move from to where you want to go. look up. with u.s. bank let's get the wheels turning. use our strength & stability to open new opportunities. to lend, and lift ...every business...every dream... to new heights of prosperity. good things are happening. just look up. with u.s. bank. welcome back. take a look with the latest news you need to know right now. hi, mary. >> gas prices usually go up for memorial day and this year they dropped 29 cents a gallon since last month and the national average is just over $3.64 a gallon. it is down 16 cents from this point a year ago, still this is the third highest gas prices have been for any memorial day behind last year and 2008. this is the third of four days astronauts aboard the international space station are working with the spacex dragon supply ship. over the weekend they unloaded about 1,000 pounds of cargo. the privately built space capsule is supposed to return to earth thursday carrying science experiments and gear the crew no longer needs and facebook hopes to release its own smartphone next year. according to the "new york times" facebook hired former apple engineers to design it. last year tech blogs reported the social networking site was developing software for a phone and facebook will need to develop fresh sources of revenue now that it is a public company. for those not completely addicted to facebook, there is another way to connect. >> another excuse mark zuckerberg is everywhere. thank you so much. one of the most outspoken opponents of same sex marriage just got in an unusual invitation and speaking about saying yes, we'll tell you who tony perkins appears to be agreeing to visit and later on the politics of memorial day. muted but still there. >> so we invented a warning.. you can feel. introducing the all new cadillac xts, available with the patented safety alert seat. when there is danger you might not see, you're warned by a pulse in the seat. it's technology you won't find in a mercedes e-class. the all new cadillac xts has arrived. and it's bringing the future forward. but proven technologies allow natural gas producers to supply affordable, cleaner energy, while protecting our environment. across america, these technologies protect air - by monitoring air quality and reducing emissions... ...protect water - through conservation and self-contained recycling systems... ... and protect land - by reducing our footprint and respecting wildlife. america's natural gas... domestic, abundant, clean energy to power our lives... that's smarter power today. this half hour $56 million raised for our veterans but the charity's own tax forms say not one cent was actually spent on the men and women that fought for our country. we're following the money at the disabled veterans national foundations. also tonight our commander in chief, not so popular among veterans. what president obama needs to do to close that gap and also be excellent, live in the moment, right your wrongs, all good advice to the class of 2012 from oprah to mitt romney and we have the most memorable graduation day moments. >> picture this. tony perkins, one of the loudest opponents of same sex marriage sitting down to dinner at the home of a gay rights activist. is looks like it could actually happen and all started back last thursday. i interviewed tony perkins, the leader of the family research council and asked him this question. >> have you ever been to the home of a married same sex couple, tony? >> i have want been to the home of a same sex married couple, no. >> if you were ever to do so and you're sitting across from them over dinner, how would you convince them that their life together either two men, two women, hurts straight couples? what do you tell them? >> first, brooke, we don't make public policy based on what's good for me and my family. >> i am just asking on a personal level. >> we're engaged here in a discussion about public policy and what's best for the nation, not anecdotes or what one couple likes or how -- >> it is personal. it is personal as well. >> but that's not how we make public policy. certainly there are some same sex couples that are probably great parents, but that's not what the over womening shows us. >> they don't bother you? >> they don't bother me. >> not at all? >> i won't be silent while they try to redefine marriage in this country and change policy and what religious organizations can do. i will not be silent. >> so that was last thursday. after hearing that the head of this lgbt group calling themselves the family quality council said i would like to extend an ep invitation for you and your family to visit my home and have dinner with my spouse and children with the full hope you will witness the love thattist examines in our families and just today we got this from tony perkins. quote, my wife and i will be glad to respond when we receive the invitation to find a time that works. so now it seems just a matter of setting a date. we followed up today and spoke with jennifer chris ler, the woman that extended the invitation to dinner a couple of hours ago and seems surprised that perkins was willing to participate. >> sounds like he is ready to accept. did you expect that? >> well, you know, no in all honesty, but we would be delighted to welcome him into our home and to have him spend time with me and my spouse and our twin ten-year-old sons. >> she says she hopes sharing a meal with perkins will sway his opinion and she is hoping his heart will be opened enough to stop his, quote, hateful rhetoric. these are her words. take a listen. >> i asked tony perkins at the end of that why homosexuals bother him so much. it is only fair to ask you this. flipping the question around, is there something about evangelical christians that bothers you? >> not at all. what bothers me is when people who haven't taken the time to know me and to know my children and to know my values talk about me and then espouse hateful rhetoric that my kids hear, that the children like them hear, and that's why as a mother i am just so troubled by that and i thought, well, maybe an invitation to dinner, maybe breaking bread together may soften him just enough that that's not the world my children have to live in anymore. >> she also says she is not asking perkins to change his religious views. we will let you know if in fact the dinner happens. the senate financing committee launched a probe into potential abuse by a veteran's charity. the charity in question is the disabled veterans national foundation, dvnf and it is fighting accusations that it isn't giving people the help they need despite raising tens of millions of dollars. here is drew griffin. >> reporter: over the past three years thanks to the generosity of thousands of americans a charity called the disabled veterans national foundation has raised nearly $56 million. yet according to its own financial tax forms, not one dime of that money has been used for direct services to military veterans. >> you're from cnn. >> that's right. >> meet priscila, president of the disabled veterans national foundation whom we found in a small vfw office in baton rouge, louisiana. >> this is the veterans of foreign wars and i didn't think you would do something like this and we agreed to talk to you and answer questions. >> here is the questions raised over three years and none of the money has gone to any veterans, ma'am. >> while she is the former national legislative liaison for the veterans of foreign wars, it is another veterans group she is president of that we wanted to discuss. >> so the bottom line is you are not going to give me an interview. >> cnn has been trying for two years to get the interview since we began tracking the fundraising. we have gotten angry phone calls, angry e-mails, promises of written responses and now a slammed door. no answer. when you see just how this charity operates, you will understand why. >> we're paying down our start-up costs. >> on the organization's website she likes to boast about the charitable gifts that her group gives away and dvnf does give away stuff, stuff actual veterans groups say they really don't need. it is called gifts in kind on tax forms. instead of giving away some of the $56 million in cash raised over the past three years, dvnf gives away stuff it got for free. in 2010 the group filed this tax form claiming it provided more than $838,000 in gifts in kind to u.s. vets, a charity in arizona. u.s. vets showed us what actually was sent, 20 pairs of men's football pants, more than 100 chefs coats, 125 chef aprons, a needle point designed pillowcase, two pages worth of stuff the director told us we don't need and take a look at what showed up at the st. benedict's veterans center in birmingham, alabama, where j d simpson takes homeless vets off the streets. simpson says the modest shipment included some useful items, 2,300 disaster blankets, good for a couple of days use and cleaning supplies, but it also included this. >> a 2,600 bags of cough drops and 2,200 little bottles of sanitizer and the great thing they sent was 11,520 bags of coconut m & ms, and didn't have a lot of use for 11,520 bags of coconut m&ms. >> here is what they posted on the website about the work in alabama. >> we send by the truckload items that these centers and shelters say they need desperately. >> for our veterans who have given so much to our country and now need our help. >> great sound bite. >> did they ever ask what you wanted. >> no. they always call and say we have a truckload coming. >> everything up here on the top is a lot of the stuff that came in on the last trup, the bandages, lotion, hand sanitizer. >> it is unpacked. >> it is unpacked. >> because you don't really have no use for it. >> these shelves should be filled with this food, not that. >> do you ask yourself where is the money? >> i ask myself that after i ask myself what the heck are these people doing stealing from our veterans. that's what they're doing. i don't care how you look at it. these people have sacrificed for our country and there are people out there that are raising money to abuse it and it just makes me mad. >> the executive director became even more angry when these showed un, more than 700 pairs of surplus navy dress shoes. >> not a lot of use for these unless you stand in personnel inspection. >> they are part of the yard sale this group uses to raise real funds for the things they really need, not shoes like these. >> here is the question. >> she wouldn't tell us why she sent homeless vets in alabama shiny new navy surplus shoes. >> i am president of the disabled veterans national foundation. >> dvnf wouldn't tell us anything. the group and the president continue to tell you, the american public, is to keep sending in those donations. >> brook, senator max bachus was hot when he saw the reports and i think what he wants to get to the bottom of with the finance committee that he chairs is exactly from the perspective of the donor where is my money going that i thought was going to go to help an actual disabled veteran? we'll see what the finance committee comes up with. >> coconut m & ms and shiny navy surplus shoes. i saw that and i shake my head. stand by. i want you to join me in this conversation with ken berger, the ceo of charity navigator that rates charities to help donors with their choice. welcome. i want you to react to drew's story. you heard him satisfies about 56 million raised and not a dime used directly for our veterans. your website and in addition to other watch dog websites, you know, one website gives an f and you give it a donor advisory status. what does that tell me if i am looking to give? should i not? >> absolutely not. this kind of organization is scary and unfortunately when we look at veterans organizations we find that five times more often than any other kind of charity that we evaluate this kind of telemarketing that takes the majority of the money is very common place and really, really disturbing to all of us. >> so if it is common place, but a lot of people in our country want to give, they have the means to give, tell me how to know which charities are reputable, which are legit. >> the key is to do some research in sites like charity navigator and places to go because our organizations will vet the charities in terms of their financial management and will vet the charities in terms of how they're being supervised by the leadership, if they're following best practices and it is critically important to do a certain amount of that kind of research first because all charities as you can see are clearly not created equal and there are great ones and there are clearly some terrible ones out there. >> do your homework. know where your money is going. hang on a second. kudos to you and your team for really digging into this group for two years and now the senate finance committee is launching this investigation. i want to read this quote. in reaction to that news from the president of this particular charity, quote, media reports about our activities have been plain wrong and we welcome the opportunity to set the record straight. countless veterans organizations that have benefitted from dvnn's help have acknowledge this had assistance in warm letters and calls and we will happily answer the questions posed by the united states senate finance committee and provide it with in was that others have sadly chosen to ignore from the woman who slammed the door in your face, drew griffin, what exactly have you chosen to ignore to quote her? >> if you just look at our reporting, not just this report but several reports you will see that we went over backwards to try to get information from this group. all we have gotten in is return was slammed doors as you saw, angry phone calls, angry e-mails from pr companies and unresponsive attorneys. i don't know what information she will provide the senate committee, but if it is the information they filed with the irs, i don't think the senators will be too happy with what they're going to show them. it shows exactly what we reported, $56 million in donations being taken in and all of that money going directly to a private fundraising company that helped them raise that money. >> we'll follow up with the hearing and see what comes out of it. i appreciate you both. thank you. >> thank you. >> mitt romney tells veterans today that the world is not safe but will voters feel more or less secure with a republican as president? sarah... will you marry me? i think we should see other people. in fact, i'm already seeing your best friend, justin. ♪ i would've appreciated a proactive update on the status of our relationship. who do you think i am, tim? quicken loans? at quicken loans, we provide you with proactive updates on the status of your home loan. and our innovative online tools ensure that you're always in the loop. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. droid does. and does it launch apps by voice while learning your voice ? launch cab4me. droid does. keep left at the fork. does it do turn-by-turn navigation ? droid does. with verizon, america's largest 4glte network and motorola, whatever you want to do... droid does. for the first time in nine years americans are not fighting and dying in iraq. we are winding down the war in afghanistan and our troops will continue to come home. after a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light in the new day on the horizon. that was president obama speaking today at arlington national cemetery. joining me to talk about how foreign policy will impact this election, editorial director and global contributor ron brownstein and hillry rosen and in little rock, arkansas on this memorial day, republican strategist alice stewart. so, hello and welcome to all of you. >> great to be here. >> let's begin with the president. we heard him say speaking from hall load ground as arlington national cemetery saying, yes, i will bring the troops home but i want to point to this poll just out today. will you see that romney has a 28 percentage point lead among male veterans. if you take out the veterans, the non-veterans there, you see it is pretty much tied 44%-46%. hillary, let me throw this to you. why is the president not more popular among veterans when he says he has done a lot for the men and women in uniform? >> i don't know actually. the president increased veterans assistance by more than any president has in the last 30 years. and let's just pause for a minute on this memorial day to give props for that amazing speech today honoring vietnam veterans, the people who really have been too many times ostracized from this country and i thought the president captured the country's emotions about vietnam war and veterans perfectly today, and i think if he does more of that, going into this campaign, you know, i see that gap closing. >> ron, what do you think? if he does more of that, she says, but thus far you look at the numbers, and apparently he hasn't. >> veterans are historically a tough audience, brooke, for democrats. obama lost them by 10 points and in 2004 when john kerry was the democratic nominee he lost them by 16 points to george w. bush and they tend to lean republican. they are not a and while our debt as a society is great to them, it is the modern reality of the military. it is not a mass me nphenomena more. even though it is tough for democrats usually it is not not a decisive block in an election. >> let me throw a question to you, alice. i was talking to arwa and covered the situation inside syria ever over the weekend, something like 108 deaths and 49 children and the republicans are quick to criticize the president for not helping the rebels there and senator mccain has had quite a strong voice in syria saying this past sunday the foreign policy was if he canless and mitt romney released a statement saying after a year-and-a-half of slaughter it is for past time for the united states to begin to lead and put an end to the asad regime and president obama can no longer ignore calls from congressional leaders in both parties to take more assertive steps. alice, how does mitt romney prove, though, that he is the best man to be commander in chief? what experience does he have? >> well, he has the same level of experience in the military matters as president obama did going into office. i agree with hillary 100%. the president gave a wonderful speech today with the veterans, and the memorial address, and pointing out individual stories of soldiers who sacrificed and the need to thank their families as well who are carrying the burden with their heart, but we saw a tale of two different leaders here. we saw president obama thanking the veterans which we all need to do, but i think governor romney pointed out the differences here. he pointed out that we are in a dangerous world and need to strengthen our military and pointed out eloquently there are two pathways, we can one one-way the way of europe and shrink the size of our military or we can go and we can continue to support and protect and preserve our military and restoring us to the military super power that we are and that right there, that kind of support and that kind of mindset on the need for a strong military is why he has tremendous support from veterans across this country and that's the contrast we have in these two candidates. >> mitt romney spoke today in san diego and i want to play some of that sound because wait for it, the last few words here of this sound bite. take a listen. >> iran is rushing to become a nuclear nation. china is on the road to becoming a military super power. russia is rebuilding their military and now led by a man that believes that the soviet union was a great as opposed to evil empire. chavez is campaigning for power throughout latin america. mexico is under siege from the cartels and the middle east the arab spring has world is not sa. ron, i'm going to give you the final word. how do you think those words, that kind of rhetoric, will it work for mitt romney? >> the president has a lot of risks in this campaign. but foreign policy isn't really at the top of the list right now. this kind of a conventional altering between republicans and democrats, republicans arguing democrats are too soft, but generally speaking the public gives the president pretty good grades on foreign policy, especially as compared to the economy. and he does have one big hole card against the argument that he has been soft on america's enemies, which is he is the president under whom osama bin laden was caught and killed. i think he has a loft risks but i wouldn't put this at the top of it. >> ron, alice, hillary, i thank you you all. "erin burnett outfront" coming up at the top of the hour. john avlon is sitting in for erin. you're working late on a holiday here. what do you have coming up? >> love it. we're busting the top three political myths. we've got interviews with grover norquist and gene simmons, so tune in for that. we will, thank you so much. still ahead, two american men questioned in tokyo after an exchange student was found dead. where they were partying before things took a turn. plus life advice for the class of 2012. oprah tells grads to be excellent. bill cosby tells them to move out of their parents' house. here is some of our favorite commencement speeches next. there are a lot of warning lights and sounds vying for your attention. so we invented a warning.. you can feel. introducing the all new cadillac xts, available with the patented safety alert seat. when there is danger you might not see, you're warned by a pulse in the seat. it's technology you won't find in a mercedes e-class. the all new cadillac xts has arrived. and it's bringing the future forward. 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[ male announcer ] it's a network of possibilities -- helping you do what you do... even better. ♪ helping you do what you do... even better. we have product x and we have product y. we are going to start with product x. the only thing i'll let you know is that it is an, affordable product. oh, i like that. let's move on to product y, which is a far more expensive product. whoaaa. i don't care for that at all. yuck. you picked x and it was geico car insurance and y was the competitor. is that something you would pay for year after year? i, i like soda a lot but for a change of pace... we're back. let's check back with in with mary snow with the latest news you need to know right now. two american men are being held in part of the investigation into the strangling death of an irish exchange student. neither of the men is charged with the death of 21-year-old nicola furlong, but japanese media say the student and her friend ended up in a hotel with the men after a nicki minaj concert. both men are entertainers, but police did not say if they were part of the singer's entourage. it's official, there will be a runoff in egypt's presidential election and it pits the old guard against the new. based on results from the first round of voting, muslim brotherhood candidate will face the former prime minister in the final flouround in june. just about half of all eligible voters turned out for the first round of the election. it was former prime minister tony blair's turn to testify before the levinson hearing today. he did admit to feeling political pressure from the media mogul. pop star justin bieber is reportedly wanted for questioning by l.a. county sheriffs because of paparazzi is accusing him of assault. the photographer says he was taking pictures of the singer and his girlfriend, selena gomez, at a southern california shopping center when beeieber h him. bieber has not spoken publicly about the report but tweeted today he was going to focus on the important stuff, the music. and diehard elvis fans can now bid on the king's crypt. this is where elvis presley was first laid to rest in 1977 before his body was buried at graceland. now it can be yours. the starting price is $100,000, which includes a memorial inscription and the opening and closing of the vault. it's all part of julian's auction's music icons event, which starts next month. brooke, i'm not sure i've ever heard of an auctioning of a crypt. >> a crypt is creepy. >> it is. >> mary, stay with me because i don't want to end with something creepy, i want to end with this a few moments. maybe you missed as graduation comes to a close, a wave of graduates preparing to enter the real world but not before getting some words of wisdom during their final school ritual, that being the commencement speech. so here are some of the best pieces of advice we heard for the class of 2012. >> the job of a commencement speaker primarily is to keep it short. chloe, they have given me more than two minutes. but the other job is to inspire. >> be excellent. people notice. think of how you notice. you go to taco bell, somebody gives you an extra napkin and some sauce, you notice. you want to go back to that person. because even at taco bell, excellence shows itself. be excellent. let excellence be your brand. >> do one thing every day that scares you. and in the process become the action hero of your own life. >> don't accept somebody else's construction of the way things ought to be. it's up to you to right wrongs. it's up to you to point out injustice. it's up to you to hold the system accountable. and sometimes upend it entirely. it's up to you to stand up and to be heard. >> and as you now leave and make for new places near and far, i hope for each one of you that your path will be long and life will be kind. the ideals that brought you here, the wisdom you gained here and the friends you found here, may these blessings be with you always wherever you go. >> in the end, people can only define you if you let them. in the end, it's up to each of us to define ourselves. it's up to each of us to invent our own future with the choices we make and the actions we take. >> you have this education. you have these expectations. there are parents waiting for you to move out. >> get out of your house, kids. mary snow, i love that, be the action hero of your own