ROGERS, Ark., July 15 — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, returning to her red-state ties, chastised Democrats Saturday for taking on issues that arouse conservatives and turn out Republican voters rather than finding consensus on mainstream subjects.

Without mentioning specific subjects like gay marriage, Mrs. Clinton said: "We do things that are controversial. We do things that try to inflame their base."

"We are wasting time," the senator told a group of Democratic women here, on part of a two-day swing through a state that could provide an alternate hub to New York if she starts a national political campaign.

She did blame Bush for all the problems in the world, however:

In front of an almost entirely Democratic crowd Saturday, Mrs. Clinton made a glancing reference to the current turmoil in the Middle East.

"We just have to turn on the news, don't we, to see what it's like going on around the world — so many conflicts," Mrs. Clinton said. "We need to get back to building partnerships and alliances, to making friends so we can influence decisions that other people make and have people working with us to stem the tide of terrorism and the threats that we confront." She added: "If we have to use military power, yes, we have to use it. But use it as a last resort, not as a first resort. Use it after all else has failed."