A page on the Coalition's website described the event:

It's time to claim our place at the table.
Join hundreds of other LGBT families as we fill the White House Lawn at the annual Easter Egg Roll on April 17, 2006! There is no more powerful way to change the national discussion around our families and our rights than to introduce ourselves to our neighbors on a grand scale. Join us in making history, having fun and showing off our amazing families to the country!

A Q & A section on the site states that LGBT families participating in the Easter Egg Roll is not a protest. "[T]his is a celebration of our families. We want to give our fellow citizens the opportunity to see us as real families, participating in a great American tradition on the White House lawn, rather than protesting from the sidelines," the section reads.

Apparently unaware of the non-political nature of the event, an unidentified male reporter asked Mr. McClellan:

Scott, ...There's been extensive reporting of a homosexual group, Soulforce, calling on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual and transgender Americans to be the first in line at this year's White House Easter Egg Roll on April 17th, as a way to show the nation their so-called families. And my question: Will the President take any measures to prevent these activists from using this non-political event as a way to push their agenda on the rest of us?

McLellan responded:

Well, this event is a time to celebrate Easter and to have a good family celebration here at the White House. And in terms of any other details about it, I think it's still a few months off, so we'll talk about it as we get closer. I've seen a couple of reports about it; I don't know how extensive that reporting has been. But this has been a family event for a long time and the President always looks forward to this event.

The Family Pride Coalition will host an event for participants before the Easter Egg Roll. Families will be given t-shirts which will identify LGBT families. The messages, "will have a non-poltical message," the Coalition wrote.

In order to make the event a success, Soulforce explained to its newsletter readers: "The success of this action depends on keeping it under the radar of the media and the administration -- Please be discreet!!! Please do NOT put a link to this website anywhere other than in an e-mail." The story's appearence in the Weekly Standard and the question asked at the briefing are signs that the secrecy effort was was unsuccessful.

PageOneQ will keep readers updated as this story develops.

related links:
Family Pride Coalition - Easter Egg Roll
Soulforce
White House transcript