[Petronski]

As far as I know, Romney is not a bastard. He was born in wedlock, as have all his children and grandchildren been born in wedlock.

Let's examine this noun "bastard," shall we?

1. a person born of unmarried parents; an illegitimate child.
2. Slang.
a. a vicious, despicable, or thoroughly disliked person: Some bastard slashed the tires on my car.

Now, as you have pointed out, #1 does not apply.

However, Slick Willard's tendency to favor bad liberal policy (such as socialized medicine and abortion) IS dispicable, as in: Some bastard stole my liberty (or, in the voice of the unborn: Some bastard stole my life!).

Further, if we examine the word "bastard" in its adjectival function, we see this:

6. spurious; not genuine; false: The architecture was bastard Gothic.

Slick Willard, I submit to you, is a spurious, not genuine and false conservative: That Slick Willard is a bastard conservative.

Link.

[trisham]

Well done.

[Godzilla]

Further, if we examine the word "bastard" in its adjectival function, we see this: 6. spurious; not genuine; false: The architecture was bastard Gothic.

Darn, thought lawyers had a better grip on language than that.