He rocked on his heels with his hands in his pockets, surveying dignitaries and the crowd with a relaxed smile, as she - attired in a black suit with a yellow sweater draped over her shoulders - touched on various political issues.

But when it was his turn to take the microphone, he sprung to life.

"You've just heard the politician in my family speak," Clinton said with a chuckle that allowed the crowd to warm up to him.

"Nice boots, Bill," a girl shouted.

"Thanks, I got these boots in Australia. I also have some from Texas," he said in a reference to his successor, President George W. Bush, pausing while the audience laughed, " ... where I once took a very brief vacation."

The Clintons were received enthusiastically by the crowd, which filled one end of the colleges' academic quad. President Mark Gearan introduced them around 3:30 p.m., saying he was glad to see the senator and "delighted she brought along her husband for his first visit to Geneva."

"I've been telling him how beautiful Geneva is - I'm glad he can see for himself," she replied at the beginning of her speech. "This is a beautiful place to live and work."

Clinton complimented Hobart and William Smith students for their spirit of volunteerism.

"You're doing so much work that wouldn't otherwise be done," she said.

She also spoke highly of her husband's administration, saying that the eight years were very good for America.

Although she was on vacation, the senator took the opportunity to mention several issues - including education, energy needs, conservation and the Social Security surplus - that she and other legislators will address when they return to session this week.

"They're not partisan decisions, they're problem-solving decisions," she said.

In particular, she called the proposed missile defense system the most important issue facing Americans for the next few years.

"We do not need to be deploying unproven technology," she said, repeating news that the target missiles had homing beacons in them. "I don't think Saddam Hussein is going to say, 'Let's put a beacon in the missile.'"

After she was done, she turned the podium over to her husband, who offered his advice on approaching and solving the many issues that are confusing Americans.

The former president asked what is the common thread between issues such as information technology, economic globalization, global warming, ethnic and racial diversification, and the availability of high-tech weapons of mass destruction to groups trying to wipe out others.

"Every one of those issues proves our interdependence," he said. "Every time you hear one of those issues debated, you should ask whether it will affect our interdependence in positive or negative ways, and how it will look 10 years from now ...

"If you ask yourselves those two questions, nine times out of 10, you'll come up with the right position," he said, before leaving the podium to cheers.

Gearan called him the colleges' "latest adjunct professor," adding, "he's agreed to come without tenure."

The Clintons then spent more than half an hour shaking hands with the crowd, cheerfully greeting hundreds of people. Their popularity reflected the comments of many people who had said before the speeches they were excited about seeing the Clintons, especially the former president.

"I've got to see Bill, he's the ex-president," former Genevan Ted Williams said excitedly. "This is historic - 14,000 people could see the ex-president and senator."

Carol Darrow, of Penn Yan, came with her husband, Steve, and had that same gotta-see-them spirit.

"There's a certain magnetism they have. It just draws you in," she said.

Karen Lathey said she arrived at the brick steps in the back of Coxe Hall at about 1 p.m. yesterday to assure her front row spot at the reception.

"If it wasn't for his support of the Hope Scholarship, I would have had to work two or three jobs for my kids to go to college," she said.

The Hope Scholarship allows taxpayers to claim non-refundable scholarship credits against their federal income tax, where the tuition and related expenses for a student can be claimed.

Lathey, who decided she wanted to take the opportunity to thank him, got more than that when he stopped to talk to her about the scholarship.

"He put his arm around me and said how nice it was to meet the people the scholarship directly effects," said Lathey, of Geneva.

Her son, Marc, jumped up and down excitedly when his mom spoke with the former president.

"It was wonderful," Lathey said.

Dr. Jane McCaffrey postponed a trip to Cape Cod this weekend just to meet the former president.

"I shook his hand and it was very thrilling," said McCaffrey, bubbling with excitement and wearing a small gold pin given to volunteers who worked on his first campaign.

McCaffrey, a long-time Clinton supporter, saw him once before at his first presidential inauguration in Washington D.C., but was too far away to meet him then.

Hobart and William Smith students also were enthused about the event.

"A former president coming to town is a big deal," said Hobart sophomore Matthew Weir, of Buffalo, who dressed in a suit and tie for the event.

"I want to hear what they have to say," said Caitlin Graber, a William Smith freshman from West Virginia.

Her friend, Tanya Raine, a freshman from Costa Rica, agreed.

"I think he's a very important person. He's very smart and it's nice to have his presence here," Raine said.

Others came mainly to see Sen. Clinton, including Raphaela Mamuscia of Lyons, who said she wanted to show her support for the senator and to let her know she considers her a New Yorker. Still, she would like Sen. Clinton to be more involved in this part of the state.

After the speeches were over, many commented that they were pleased with what they heard. Phil Forsline, of Phelps, said he agreed fully with Bill Clinton's advice to consider the future effects of issues rather than focusing only on the immediate ramifications.

Victor resident Rose Quinnan agreed.

"I liked what they said about the future and thinking about what we're leaving for our children," she said, adding that the message had a special meaning for her because it came on her son Jack's second birthday.

"I liked both of their speeches. I wish he was back in office - somebody who cares for the ordinary people," said Carol Alexander, of Penn Yan.

"It was good representation of what the Clintons are about - issues that affect everybody," said Phil Sweeney, of Phelps.

Not everyone at the quad was a fan, however. Two men, who refused to identify themselves other than by the stage names they use for their Internet talk show, protested the Clintons' appearance.

Dressed in prison-style striped clothing, one carried a sign bearing a Nixon-esque caricature of the senator and the words "I am not a crook," while his cohort wore a mask of her face. They called her election as senator a disgrace and said he had sold pardons during his final days in office, adding that they were dressed as prisoners to emphasize their belief that the Clintons belong in prison.

The Clintons arrived at Gearan's home around 2:15 p.m., and unwound for a little while from their morning trip to the State Fair before walking to Coxe Hall. They are staying with Gearan and his family until tomorrow morning.

Gearan met Bill Clinton when the then-future president was an assistant to Gov. Michael Dukakis. They later worked on policy issues together and Gearan was Al Gore's campaign manager in 1992. Clinton appointed him director of the Peace Corps in 1995.

Numerous area organizations showered the couple with gifts, including college wear, a collage of downtown buildings, and a basket of wine that brought him from the side of the stage for a personal inspection.

Rene Presutti and Eleanor Saglimbeni, both of Geneva, both said they thought the event was wonderful.

"Bill was the greatest and he was a good president. And Hillary was so sweet. She spoke right from her heart," said Presutti, who shook both their hands.

"They were very gracious and it was nice having them here," Saglimbeni said.