Biden Says Jessica Buchanan's Declining Health Prompted Last Night's Raid

Vice President Joe Biden had an early-morning interview with Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos today, revealing that the reason President Obama ordered the rescue was due to Jessica Buchanan's "failing" health.

RELATED: Get Ready to Rethink the Osama bin Laden Raid

The overnight raid, which Stephanopoulos refers to as a "happy secret," opened the interview--taking priority over Obama's State of the Union address (and the Republican reactions to it). "They said it was the time, the opportunity. Jessica’s health was, was in a word, ‘failing,’ and they concluded they should go at this time and the president gave a go,” said Biden (video below) from a dimly-lit office. From there Biden gets a bit tighter with the details--he reveals that he watched the rescue from the situation room and that Obama called Buchanan's father with the great news--all before launching into praise for the Navy SEALs. “I’ve been in Afghanistan, in Iraq with these guys, these Special Operations Forces, they are absolutely the most incredible… It just takes your breath away, their capacity, and their bravery, and their incredible timing. These guys are amazing, and women, are amazing,” Biden added, stopping short of revealing that this Navy SEALs team is the same one that executed the bin Laden raid. 

RELATED: With Media Distracted, There's No Rush to Aid Somalia

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player