Still, aides on the upcoming campaign may capitalize on venues as small as the upstate New York visits. In Iowa and New Hampshire — the two states that kick off the nominating process, and where Clinton is expected to travel this week —

Democrats will see Clinton up close and without the crush of press. It’s likely the campaign will start with a pool reporter system to handle the snug events in living rooms and bars and diners.

“She’s the best in a small group I’ve ever seen. That’s her gift,” said Paul Begala, a Democratic operative who worked on the 1992 presidential race. “Rather than fitting the candidate to a strategy, it looks like they’re fitting a strategy to the candidate.”
Carl Hayden, Clinton’s host, had no doubt he saw the real Clinton that night in 1999.

“She was very down-home, very natural. You’d be surprised how comfortable the visit was — and how comfortable an individual she was,” said Hayden, who is active in local politics and served at the time as chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents.