Is Ron Paul Secretly Working For Mitt Romney?

He's certainly not helping his own campaign in these debates. Paul campaign says he and Romney are "not fishing in the same pond."

Elise Amendola / AP

First he took down Newt, now he's emerging as the strongest critic of Rick Santorum.

Watching Ron Paul's debate performances and advertisements it's hard not to wonder who he's really is trying to get elected, because it's not himself.

Mitt Romney is closer than ever to the nomination after pulling off a narrow victory in the Iowa Caucuses. He has the New Hampshire Primary locked up, and is pulling ahead in South Carolina. Yet Ron Paul remained focused on Santorum.

But attacking Gingrich and Santorum has Paul contesting the race for second place, instead of focusing on Romney way out ahead. So it begs the question — is Paul secretly trying to help Romney?

His campaign chairman, Jesse Benton, says no. Paul and Romney "aren't fishing in the same pond," he said last night, a blunter admission than other campaigns of the underlying reality: There can be only one Romney alternative, and the second tier candidates must kill each other before they turn the guns to Romney.