Washington ? Frustrated Senate Democrats struggled to unearth Supreme Court nominee John Roberts’ elusive views on abortion, civil rights and other controversial issues Tuesday, digging through newly released government documents while criticizing the White House for refusing access to thousands more.

“It’s more than what they need,” President Bush’s spokesman said of the material being turned over.

The disagreement over access to decades-old government records flared as Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales suggested that, if confirmed, Roberts would not be bound by an earlier statement that the landmark 1973 ruling that established a woman’s right to an abortion was settled law.

Gonzales told The Associated Press that “a Supreme Court justice is not obliged to follow precedent if you believe it’s wrong.”

One week after Bush nominated Roberts to succeed Sandra Day O’Connor on the high court, the 50-year-old appeals court judge seemed to float above the fray as he continued courtesy calls on senators.

At the same time, Senate Republicans and the White House worked to try to assure a confirmation vote before the court begins a new term. “Our duty is to have a justice seated by the first Monday in October, which is October 3rd,” said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Specter said he would convene hearings as early as Aug. 29 if necessary to meet that timetable. A later date – perhaps Sept. 6 – was also possible, he said, depending on what type of assurances Democrats were willing to make.

Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said he wanted to cooperate with the GOP.

“But moving forward on a schedule will also require the White House’s cooperation with senators in answering their questions about this nomination,” Leahy added.

Leahy and other Democrats on the panel wrote to Bush that they were disappointed that the White House has declared some documents off limits.

Committee aides began sifting through the first of thousands of documents to be made available, dating from Roberts’ tenure as a special assistant in the Justice Department in 1981-82, and in the White House counsel’s office in 1983-86.

As a historical footnote, one memo was hard to beat – a one-page paper in which the young Roberts reported that beginning “my first day on the job” he had been helping O’Connor prep for her own confirmation hearings to the high court.