? Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton fainted Monday after complaining of a stomach virus before a scheduled speech on Social Security.

She received medical attention at the scene and then went on to give another speech at a Catholic college Monday afternoon.

“It wasn’t as dramatic as it sounds,” Clinton said after the 30-minute speech.

Clinton aides said doctors believed she had a stomach virus. They said she felt weak at the private club where she was to speak, needed to sit down, and then fainted briefly.

Clinton, 57, was smiling when she walked out of the club, the general manager said.

“I saw her walk out the door by herself, she smiled and said ‘thank you,'” said Saturn Club general manager Vincent Tracy.

Later Monday, she delivered a speech about health care at Canisius College. She was introduced by former U.S. Rep. John LaFalce, who told the crowd that Clinton went against doctor’s advice because she was committed to talking about health care.

Clinton was to return to Washington after the speech, the last event on her public schedule.

In September, Clinton’s 58-year-old husband underwent quadruple bypass surgery.

During an earlier editorial board meeting Monday at The Buffalo News, Clinton complained about suffering from a flu-like bug that affected several of her staff members during a weekend retreat in Westchester County, where she lives.

The former first lady has said she plans to run for re-election in 2006.