Gibbs defends Clinton amid WikiLeaks criticism

By Perry Bacon, Jr.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs strongly defended Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wednesday amid criticism of Clinton that has followed the release by WikiLeaks of controversial diplomatic cables sent under her name.

"I think that is absurd and ridiculous," Gibbs said on ABC's "Good Morning America" of calls for Clinton to step down. "I think Secretary of State Clinton is doing a wonderful job."

Gibbs added that President Obama "appreciates greatly the work that she does."

The cables included requests from the State Department for U.S. diplomats to collect information including fingerprints, facial images and iris scans from their foreign counterparts. U.S. officials have denied the accusation they wanted diplomats "spying."

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange told Time this week Clinton "should resign if it can be shown that she was responsible for ordering U.S. diplomatic figures to engage in espionage in the United Nations."