Some feminists have had a hard time accepting Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin as a symbol of women's empowerment. But political science professor Ronnee Schreiber argues that conservatism and feminism are not mutually exclusive ideologies.

In a Sept. 9 commentary for CNN.com, Schreiber wrote that McCain chose Palin as his running mate because he wanted to energize Republican women and bring "undecided women who like the way conservative women speak to them into McCain's camp."

Schreiber is an assistant professor at San Diego State University and the author of Righting Feminism: Conservative Women and American Politics.

Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.