Justin says ‘Bye, Bye’ without partying in D.C.

As teen heartthrob Justin Timberlake arrived in D.C. on Thursday, rumors were swirling that he’d be bringing sexy back at one of downtown’s top nightclubs — especially with fellow celeb Heather Graham in town for the premiere of her film “Gray Matters.”

By 11 p.m. on Thursday, word had trickled all the way down to George Washington University students, some of whom were lined up at the door of Play Lounge on Connecticut Avenue, waiting to rub shoulders with Justin.

Members of his entourage arrived in due course, including several of his dancers. But where was Justin?

“He’s in bed. We’re trying to get him out, but he’s being really boring,” one of the dancers lamented to a Yeas & Nays source.

But it was all for naught, as 2 a.m. came and went with no sign of Justin.

“I mean, the dancers were fun, but they weren’t Justin Timberlake,” said our source.

Graham, however, did not disappoint. After a post-premiere dinner in the private room at BLT Steak, she arrived at Play along with co-stars Alan Cumming and Rachel Shelley.

Other spies said the tall blonde appeared to enjoy the libations, and as Cumming and Shelley kept a watchful eye on her, gave other partiers a treat by performing what has been variously described as a “sexy dance” and a “hippie dance.”

Clubgoers renewed their expectation of a Justin sighting on Friday night, but alas, he left town right after his show at the Verizon Center.

Timberlake stayed at the Four Seasons in Georgetown, while we hear that his opening act, Pink, hung her boa at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown.

In other celeb news, Billy Bob Thornton was spotted at the Four Seasons bar on Friday. Maybe he was trying to get a look at Justin — just like everybody else.

Late night with Hillary Clinton

Just in time for the Democrats’ winter meetings, the anti-Hillary Clinton group StopHerNow.com completed the third episode of its animated “The Hillary Show.”

This installment of the 527 group’s series has Hillary conducting a mock interview with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

The two cartoon pols don’t exactly break bread, however, as Hillary introduces Pelosi as a “little-known, obnoxious, incredibly rich, out-of-touch San Francisco liberal.”

She then compliments Pelosi on her hair and pantsuit, saying, “Looks just like mine.”

“Not really,” retorts Pelosi. “Mine’s designer.”

The insults continue to fly, until cartoon Hillary ends the interview by bringing the hammer down — literally — on poor cartoon Pelosi.

“Just like any two politicians competing for the limelight, Pelosi and Clinton are bound to butt heads. In StopHerNow.com’s latest cartoon, we show a fun version of this potential power struggle,” said Dick Collins, founder of StopHerNow.com.

Pigskin meets PACs in Miami

What better place than the Super Bowl for a little D.C.-style flesh-pressing and cash-raising?

The House Conservatives Fund (HCF), the political arm of the conservative Republican Study Committee, held an evening reception at the Conrad Hotel in Miami on Saturday, drawing Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.; Pro Football Hall of Famer Lynn Swann, who last year ran unsuccessfully for governor of Pennsylvania; and former NFL players Rikki Ellison and Scooter McGruder.

Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla., one of the House’s most vocal conservatives, was scheduled to attend, HCF Executive Director Mike Bober said , but the tornados in Florida kept his attention on his district over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., didn’t attend the game, but he held a brunch reception to benefit his PAC at the Biltmore hotel, a spokesman said.

“He knew a lot of his friends and supporters would be there,” the spokesman said.

Fox News makes emergency call to bullpen

It must have been enough pressure for Fox News White House Correspondent Bret Baier that he was filling in for Brit Hume as host of “Special Report” for the first time on Friday.

But then, just as the panel discussion was about to start in the second half of the show, he found himself short a panelist.

Turns out, Baier tells us, that Roll Call’s Mort Kondracke had gotten into a minor car crash outside the studio.

Kondracke couldn’t be reached over the weekend, but we hear he’s OK.

As for Baier, he managed to recruit Fox’s congressional correspondent, Major Garrett, as an emergency fill-in on the panel.

Think tank

“Whose campaign is having the toughest time leaving the station and why?”

“The real question at this point is whether Joe Biden will ever leave the station (it would help if his staff could stop him from speaking publicly).”

– Alexander Dryer, The New Yorker

“Joe Biden. He’s the only Democrat with a plan for Iraq, but no one is listening.”

– Frank Luntz, author of the new book, “Words That Work”

“The failed governor of a large northeastern state, George Pataki of New York will be lucky if he becomes secretary of Transportation in the McCain administration.”

– John J. Miller, National Review