Via The White House.

Q On climate change, why is it a good idea for the President to arrive near the beginning of the climate talk negotiations as opposed to end, when the ultimate deal is going to be struck? And secondarily, does the White House have any evaluation or comment on this controversy of the hacked e-mails that suggest that some of the underlying science through some of the propositions put forward by climatologists may be in error or may have been altered in some way?

MR. GIBBS: On the second part, I think Carol Browner addressed that last week, on the order of several thousand scientists have come to the conclusion that climate change is happening. I don’t think that’s anything that is, quite frankly, among — most people — in dispute anymore.

In terms of when the President goes, obviously we believe that progress has been made with developing nations — the U.S. has made some progress with the Chinese and the Indians over the past couple of weeks. The President will travel to Oslo on the 10th, and believed it was important to use this visit to help get us to the point of a deal — something that can take the type of action that scientists say need to be taken to stop and reverse climate change. I think the President believes that a visit happening at the beginning is just as important as it would be at any point to getting that deal going quicker.

12:34 P.M. EDT

MR. GIBBS: Good afternoon, guys. Thank you for taking some time out of your Sunday afternoon. We wanted to bring together many of the people that have the primary governmental responsibility in dealing with the situation and to discuss the government’s capacity and capability to discuss the steps the government is taking to address this.

Three people we’ll hear from today and then we’ll take some questions: First, John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; Dr. Richard Besser, the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of Homeland Security.

So with that I’ll turn it over to Mr. Brennan.

MR. BRENNAN: Thank you, Robert. And thank you, everyone, for coming here today.
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Via email from the White House:

WASHINGTON – Obama administration officials will host an on-camera briefing this afternoon in the White House Press Briefing Room to provide an update on swine influenza in the United States and the government response.

WHO: Secretary Janet Napolitano, Department of Homeland Security
Dr. Richard Besser, Acting Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

WHEN: Sunday, April 26, 2009 – 12:30pm EDT

WHERE: White House Press Briefing Room