EW YORK - Amid boos and cheers, Hillary Rodham Clinton marched in an early St. Patrick's Day parade in Queens yesterday.
With a green scarf tucked into her jacket, the first lady smiled, waved, and posed for pictures as she marched seven blocks along the parade route in Woodside.
Asked if she was enjoying herself, she said: ''I sure am. How could you not? It's a glorious day with a lot of happy people.''
A group of hecklers followed her, but she ignored them and the occasional boos from others in the crowd of several thousand people along the parade route.
''Go back to Arkansas, carpetbagger!'' called out Bernie Mulligan of Queens, who works for a cable TV company. ''She's too liberal. But I like everything about the mayor. I think he's a straight-shooter.''
Clinton is running for US Senate against Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a Republican.
But most of the onlookers - some of them holding signs saying ''Irish-Americans for Hillary'' - clapped and cheered.
Clinton was joined by Democratic officials, including city Comptroller Alan Hevesi, City Council President Peter Valone, and US Representatives Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, both of Manhattan.
The Queens parade was billed as the first local ''inclusive'' St. Patrick's Day event because it allowed gay organizations to participate.
The main St. Patrick's Day parade, held March 17 on Fifth Avenue, excludes gay groups. Clinton said yesterday she still hopes the main parade will be inclusive, but even if it's not, she confirmed she would take attend.
