WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. John Kerry urged the White House yesterday to release "in their entirety" all documents and memos from Supreme Court nominee John Roberts Jr.'s tenure in two Republican administrations.

"We cannot do our duty if either Judge Roberts or the Bush administration hides elements of his professional record," said the Massachusetts senator.

Kerry issued his statement as Roberts made the latest in a series of courtesy calls on senators in advance of confirmation hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kerry is not a member of the committee.

Democratic officials also said yesterday that they want access to all material regarding Roberts at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. Roberts served in the White House counsel's office from 1982-86.

He was principal deputy solicitor general in the administration of President George H.W. Bush.

The Democratic officials said Democrats also are eager to learn details of Roberts' activities in Florida in 2000, at the time of the state's contested presidential recount. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to provide details.

An attorney in private practice at the time, Roberts flew to the state at his own expense to offer advice to Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, as the governor's older brother tried to clinch the election over Vice President Al Gore.

The Democratic officials described the search for information as routine in the case of any nominee to the Supreme Court.

Tracy Schmaler, a spokeswoman for Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, declined to confirm the disclosure. She said that in general, Democrats intend to seek material relating to Roberts' career.

Roberts would replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who often provided the decisive vote in split decisions, sometimes siding with conservative justices and sometimes with the liberals.

Among those Roberts visited yesterday on Capitol Hill was Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who opposed Roberts' appointment to the Washington, D.C.,-based appellate court two years ago. Durbin promised the nominee he would approach his confirmation with "a clean slate."

"I tried ... to take the measure of the man," Durbin said after a private a private 40-minute meeting with Roberts. "It was a positive measure."

Material from the Chicago Tribune is included in this report.