Hollywood's Own Party Agenda: 40 Bashes

"Yes, but it's a good challenge."

This Just In. . .

· Maria Pinto created Michelle Obama's turquoise wool dress for Monday's prime-time address. The Chicago designer crafted many of Obama's signature looks, including the lilac dress she wore on the cover of Newsweek and the purple sheath she sported on fist-bump night. Pinto's specialty is evening wear -- bet she's already sketching inaugural gowns.

· Bruce Springsteen will not perform in Denver tomorrow night, despite the flood of rumors that he'll appear after Barack Obama's speech at Invesco Field, reports The Post's J. Freedom du Lac. A source in the Boss's camp says he's "definitely not" performing or attending and never planned to. Then again, it wouldn't be a surprise if they confirmed it, would it?

· Washington "it" girl Ashley Taylor showed up Monday in Denver at the Distilled Spirits Council party, selling her grandmother Ann Hand's blingy Obama accessories -- $45 rhinestone pins, $175 bejeweled shades: " Oprah just called to thank us for the sunglasses." Headed to St. Paul? No, said the sometime model, recently unfianced from millionaire investor Joe Robert; she's moving to Italy next week to study gemology.

Which of These Books Gets A Convention Signing?

Simon & Schuster released two children's books yesterday: " Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope" and " Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight." Guess which one is at the Denver convention center?

The illustrated bios, aimed at ages 5-10, were written during the primaries and went to print before the historic race was decided -- so the authors fudged the endings. "Not afraid to fly, daring to compete, she decided to run for the highest office in the land," wrote Kathleen Krull about Clinton. "Was the land ready? No matter -- she was propelling her way into history."

DNC officials okayed signings today and tomorrow at the convention hall with Obama's author Nikki Grimes and illustrator Bryan Collier-- but not for the Clinton book, according to a S & S rep. And for the GOP tykes: Meghan's McCain's kids' book, "My Dad, John McCain," comes out next week -- and yes, the candidate's daughter gets to sign copies at the convention.

The Kanye Watch

Kanye West's calendar is totally open, so far as we can tell, until a concert in Los Angeles Sunday -- so we're pretty sure the short-tempered solipsist genius rapper has no excuse but to show in Denver tonight for the hot-ticket RIAA/One Campaign show. The question now: How can Hill staffers justify taking a free ticket in light of recent ethics rulings barring such gifts? Simple: the exemption that allows attendance at such events that are directly work-related, and most of Kanye's music falls under the purview of certain House committees.

· "Gold Digger" (Committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Mineral Resources subcommittee)

· "The College Dropout" (Committee on Education and Labor)

· "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" (Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, investigating steroids in MLB)