Hillary Clinton recalls bin Laden raid, told a 'lie' about it at a wedding

President Obama and his closest advisors kept an iron-clad vow of secrecy in the days before killing Osama bin Laden -- even if it meant telling poker-faced fibs at a pals wedding.

Secretary of State State Hillary Clinton admitted telling a huge white lie, during an amusingly awkward wedding scene, one day before US special forces took down bin Laden.

It was so ironic, Clinton told NBCs Rock Center in an interview that will air tonight. All these smart young people who work in all kinds of enterprises, one of them came up and said `Do you think well ever get bin Laden?

Of course at that moment one year ago, Clinton knew President Obama had ordered SEALs to attack bin Ladens hideout in Pakistan. But the secretary of state knew she had to lie to this wedding guest, and even keep this whopping secret away from her hubby, former President Bill Clinton.

I said [to the wedding reveler] `I dont know I have no way of knowing, but I can tell you this, well keep trying, the fingers-crossed-behind-her-back Clinton said.

Elite special forces carried out Operation Neptunes Spear and bagged Americas greatest enemy, a year ago yesterday.

As the SEALs moved into the compound with body armor, night vision and drawn weapons, President Obama and his national security team watched the action unfold in live video footage.

At this point, I think all of us understand that were a long way to go before the night is done, Obama told NBC. And you know, Ive said this was the longest 40 minutes of my life.

Vice President Biden and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen both been nervously handled rosary rings throughout the operation.

As SEALs removed bin Ladens body from the compound and boarded their helicopter, Biden put his rosary down. But Mullen knew the operation wasnt done until the notorious terrorist co! uld be p hotographed in death.

I leaned down," Mullen said. "I said, Mr. Vice President, not yet. Keep it going because as important as killing, capturing or killing bin Laden was, it was more important to get him out. And so we were a long way, even as we got bin Laden, his body in that helicopter, we were a long way from completing that mission at that point.