he pitched himself as the consistent conservative alternative to mitt romney. i think what happened last night, in part as a result of kind of exchanges you just showed and also with ron paul piling in on the other side of rick santorum, they were able to take shots at santorum's claim to be both consistent and to be conservative by pointing out his record of earmarking. talking about his support for no child left behind which he seemed to indicate was a mistake. he said he had taken one for the team. bill: there are people talking this morning that romney and ron paul have an alliance. they're book ending ron paul. do you agree with that? >> no question about it. it is actually not something they have even downplayed too much or at least the ron paul camp. ron paul's campaign manager jesse benton given interviews regular phone calls between the paul campaign and romney campaign. ron paul, interview with a radio show in north dakota said, well, not necessarily strategic alliance we come