[JURIST] Four leading women in the US Senate Thursday asked Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to reconsider her resignation [press release] if Justice William Rehnquist makes the decision to retire. The request from Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) [official websites] came after Justice Rehnquist was admitted to the hospital [JURIST report] for a fever earlier this week and speculation on his retirement was rekindled. The group said they would "strongly recommend" O'Connor's appointment as Chief Justice if Rehnquist steps down, a possibility also raised Sunday on Face the Nation [transcript, PDF] by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) [official website], Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee [official website], and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). AP has more.