Nigel Farage ; Mr Verhofstadt is EU high priest appointment for Brexit Nigel Farage has accused the European Parliament of "a declaration of war" on the UK's Brexit talks after naming Guy Verhofstadt as its chief negotiator. The outgoing UKIP leader told MEPs the ex-Belgian prime minister was the "high priest" of federalism and should be replaced by someone "who likes the UK". Mr Verhofstadt is one of three officials chosen by EU institutions. He told MEPs earlier he didn't want to "punish" the UK but to build "sound relations" after the UK's departure. Although the Belgian politician, who leads the Alliance of Liberal and Democrats grouping in the European Parliament, will not actually lead the EU's talks with the UK, the European Parliament has said he will have a "central role" in discussions expected to last at least two years. The European Parliament's approval is required before any settlement is agreed with the UK. 'High priest' Mr Farage, who will officially step down as UKIP leader on Friday but remain as an MEP, criticised the appointment during a debate in Strasbourg, saying it showed the EU had not "learnt any lessons" from the UK's rejection of its membership. "If you think of this building as a temple, then Mr Verhofstadt is the high priest," he said. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqc7cqK-MeI

(CNN)Constitutional lawyer and Trump impeachment legal team member Alan Dershowitz said Monday that he is "much more correct right now" in his current views on what qualifies a president for impeachment than his near-opposite views during the Clinton impeachment. Credit cnn watch the whole video Cooper presses Dershowitz over changing impeachment view https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/01/21/dershowitz-cooper-toobin-changing-impeachment-view-ac360-vpx.cnn ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVmTNl1XOIY

Al Franken to Neil Gorsuch “I Had A Career Identifying Absurdity And I Know It Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch kept his cool for the most part during today’s one-part-contentious-one-part-treacly confirmation hearing. Mostly the TV news cameras following the hearing lapped up his Mr. Smith Goes to Washington routine, complete with lengthy explanation to bemused Washingtonians about the fine art of “mutton busting” and the annual stock show parade that makes its way up Denver’s 17th Avenue each year. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnfyXZteEvM

Al Franken is no stranger to telling jokes onstage. Before being elected to the Senate in Minnesota in 2008, Franken was a comedian who broke out as a performer and writer for Saturday Night Live starting in the 1970s. But after moving to Washington, he put his head down, retired his standup routine, and focused on the legislative grind. Until tonight, that is. Donald Trump’s unlikely rise appeared to inspire something in Franken, who dipped back into comedy at the Democratic National Convention in order to attack the GOP nominee. Franken introduced himself by saying he’d earned a "doctorate in megalomania studies from Trump University." "Sure, I had to empty out my 401(k) and take a reverse mortgage on my house to pay tuition, but Mr. Trump, or rather some people who say they once met him, convinced me that it was worth it," Franken joked. more RNC Speeches Pastor Mark Burns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rwrr8jqdzg ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a4PxAe3EtM