WASHINGTON – Clifford the Big Red Dog and Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster will provide the Bush administration’s first line of defense today as the White House Easter Egg Roll is flooded by hundreds of protesting homosexual parents.

Faced with the prospect of the 128-year-old tradition being hijacked by gay pride advocates, aides to President Bush have carefully scripted the event to limit the political damage.

Homosexual parents seeking public acceptance of their families have already secured many of the 15,000 tickets available to the public.

But it was clear yesterday that protesters would be kept far away from the First Lady, Laura Bush, who is overseeing the event on the White House lawns.

By the time the gay pride activists are allowed in, Mrs. Bush should be gone, leaving them to confront giant sized children’s characters.

These will include Curious George, the cartoon monkey, several of the prehistoric heroes from the movie Ice Age, and what are described as White House Official Easter Bunnies.

Jennifer Chrisler of the Family Pride Coalition, one of the gay groups involved, said the demonstration aimed to bring home to Mr. Bush that homosexuals had families.

“We are helping him understand that gay families exist in this country and deserve the rights and protections that all families need,” she said.

But outraged conservatives have attacked the demonstrators for politicizing a children’s event.

“It’s unfortunate that an event that is simply designed for children is now being politicized,” said Peter Sprigg, of the Family Research Council.

Publicly the White House has said little. A spokesman for Mrs. Bush said merely that “all families are welcome to attend the Easter Egg Roll”.

But behind the scenes, Bush aides have been at work to blunt the protest’s impact.