Relations between the oil and gas industry and the White House have thawed considerably in the past six months, with petroleum industry representatives now meeting with administration staff at least weekly, American Petroleum Institute President Jack Gerard said today. Gerard told reporters after API's annual "State of American Energy" luncheon that he saw a real "evolution" in the president's position, both in fossil-fuels-friendly statements he made on the campaign trail and in his administration's level of responsiveness to industry concerns.