WASHINGTON — Time and again, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales claimed a hazy memory Thursday about his role in the firings of eight federal prosecutors. Seventy-one times, in fact.

To the frustration of Democrats and Republicans alike, Gonzales said in his Senate testimony he could not fully or even partially recall key details about the firings — even conversations he participated in, beginning in late 2004.

“You’re talking about a series of events that occurred over approximately 700 days,” Gonzales said at one point during his five hours of testimony. “I probably had thousands of conversations during that time.”

That didn’t wash with Sen. Arlen Specter, top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is investigating whether last year’s firings of eight U.S. attorneys were politically motivated. Gonzales says he had only a limited role in the firings; senators pointed to documents and previous testimony showing a more extensive involvement.

“Your characterization of your participation is just significantly, if not totally, at variance with the facts,” Specter said.

One fellow GOP conservative, Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, called for Gonzales to resign. “The best way to put this behind us is your resignation,” Coburn bluntly told Gonzales.

Gonzales dug in, defending his decision to oust the U.S. attorneys.

“The notion that there was something that was improper that happened here is simply not supported,” Gonzales said, adding that he would make the same firings decision again.

The White House maintained support anew for Gonzales. But it was a long day for the attorney general who faced repeated heckling from protesters. There was no doubt about the stakes involved for a member of President Bush’s inner circle, and support from fellow Republicans was critical to his attempt to hold his job.

Calling most of Gonzales’ explanations for the firings “a stretch,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham asked whether the dismissals simply came down to personality disagreements the Justice Department and White House had with the former prosecutors.

“You said something that struck me — that sometimes it just came down to these were not the right people at the right time,” said Graham, R-S.C. “If I applied that standard to you, what would you say?”

Ignoring hoots of laughter from the protesters, Gonzales responded: “I believe that I continue to be effective as the attorney general of the United States. We’ve done some great things.”

A number of Democrats have called for Gonzales to resign or be fired, but until Thursday John Sununu of New Hampshire was the only Republican senator to say so publicly.

Bush spokesman Tony Fratto said at the White House that Gonzales “can be effective going forward.”

“It’s understandable that the senators have been frustrated by the way this decision was communicated, and we fully expected that they would take this opportunity to express this frustration,” Fratto said.

Gonzales also scrapped with Democrats, most the notably committee chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, and Sen. Charles Schumer of New York. Even soft-spoken Sen. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin chastised Gonzales for having “severely shaken the confidence of the American people.”

“Would you explain to the American people why it is so important that you should remain in this office?” Kohl asked.

“The moment I believe I can no longer be effective I will resign as attorney general,” Gonzales responded, making it clear he had not reached that point.

Specter stopped short of calling for Gonzales to resign — a modest lifeline for the attorney general — even while questioning his credibility.

Specter said the attorney general’s answers “did not stick together.”

Senators ticked off evidence — based on department documents and testimony from two former senior Justice officials — that Gonzales participated in discussions about at least three of the fired prosecutors: Carol Lam in San Diego, Bud Cummins in Little Rock, Ark., and David Iglesias in New Mexico.

In Iglesias’ case, Gonzales recalled a conversation on Oct. 11, 2006, with Bush and White House political adviser Karl Rove about voter fraud concerns during which the prosecutor’s name came up. “I now understand that there was a conversation between myself and the president,” Gonzales said.

In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, Iglesias said Gonzales has yet to point out a performance-related reason that would justify the firing. The reasons Gonzales has given “are political issues,” Iglesias said. “I wish he would shoot straight with the American people.”

Gonzales faced GOP as well as Democratic challenges to his credibility throughout the day.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., told him, “I’m concerned about your recollection,” after the attorney general said he could not remember attending a meeting last Nov. 27 during which the firings were discussed. Documents show he was there.

Later, Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa criticized Gonzales for now accepting responsibility for the firings after initially saying he had played only a minor role. “Why is your story changing?” Grassley asked.

In response, Gonzales replied that his earlier answers had been “overbroad,” the result of inadequate preparation.

Gonzales maintained a stoic face through most of the hearing, pursing his lips at times, ignoring the protesters wearing orange garb and pink police costumes. The words “Arrest Gonzales” were duct-taped to their backs.

He said he made a “mistake I freely acknowledge” for taking a largely hands-off approach to the firings. But “at the end of the day, I know I did not do anything improper.”

Gonzales marched out of the hearing at its conclusion, shortly before 5 p.m., as protesters began singing “Hey, hey, goodbye” from the 1970s hit song by Steam.

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