Balloon Juice - Open Threads Archives

Monday Afternoon Open Thread: What We Could’ve Had

by Anne Laurie| October 27, 20252:51 pm| 196 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, President Biden, Proud to Be A Democrat, Trumpery, Our Failed Media Experiment

Former President Joe Biden spoke publicly for the first time since completing a round of radiation therapy for an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

He addressed an audience in Boston on Sunday after winning the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. pic.twitter.com/7leJAKrcWk

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 27, 2025

Former President Joe Biden urged Americans to remain hopeful as the nation faces “dark days” in his first public appearance since completing a round of radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

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— Politico (@politico.com) October 27, 2025 at 10:35 AM

… After receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston on Sunday, Biden warned against what he called attacks on free speech and tests on the limits of executive power by President Donald Trump.

“Friends, I can’t sugar coat any of this. These are dark days,” the 82-year-old said, according to the Associated Press.

But, he said, America is “more powerful than any dictator.”…

“America is not a fairy tale,” Biden said Sunday. “For 250 years, it’s been a constant push and pull, an existential struggle between peril and possibility.”

Biden said he still believes in the promise of America. Though it may be easy to “check out,” he said, it is not time to give up.

“We are one of the only countries in the world that time and again has come out of every crisis we faced, stronger than we went into that crisis,” Biden said. “I still believe we will emerge, as we always have, stronger, wiser, more resilient, more just.”…

Instead, Our Very Serious Media, pushing for ‘thoughts’ from a guy rambling about his half-remembered greatest hits:

To be clear, Trump saying "I haven't really thought about it" is literally as close to "no" that you're going to get from him. Reporters know he'll refuse to rule anything out, so they can get a nice little soundbite every time they do this.

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— Schnorkles O'Bork (@schnorkles.bsky.social) October 27, 2025 at 10:23 AM

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Monday Afternoon Open Thread: What We Could’ve HadPost + Comments (196)

When Someone Else Says It Better Than You Can

by WaterGirl| October 27, 202511:51 am| 396 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics

I’m sure we all have our favorite sources for information and community, and for a lot of us, that is Balloon Juice. And of course there’s no end to good substacks or newsletters, and a few good blogs are still left. I like TPM and others as much as the next person, but there’s only one other blog besides Balloon Juice that I read regularly, and that’s The Establishment Bar.

I may have a special soft sport for them because their banner image looks a lot like the bar my parents owned and operated for my entire life, until my mom died. It was a neighborhood bar and we lived upstairs, so I spent a lot of time there.

Anyway…

I have a busy day with out-of-town company coming this afternoon, so I am gonna mostly outsource this post to them this morning.

I have never been a fan of Bernie, but I have never been a rabid hater, and I don’t see red when his name is mentioned. But it annoys the hell out of me that he uses the Democratic Party when it suits him, and he undermines the Democratic party when that suits him.

The best I can say about Bernie is that he supported Biden when Biden was president. I’ll give him that.

When Misogyny, Racism, and Antisemitism Aren’t Deal Breakers for Your Revolution

Posted by T.LaFauci

“Sorry, I screwed up.”

As human beings, we often resist admitting when we’re wrong. It is a blow to our ego when we have to admit we may have made a mistake. Depending on the severity of the error, there can be repercussions, none of which are pleasant. Someone depending on us may lose confidence. It may impact our interactions with those close to us. It may take time to get back into one’s good graces. Needless to say, having to swallow our pride and apologize is one of the most difficult things that a person has to do in their everyday life.

But it has to be done.
[snip]
Bernie Sanders has no such virtue. And because of it, he cannot admit when he is wrong.

This past week showed us that, like Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders has such an inflated ego that he cannot admit when he has made an obvious error. When it came to light that his endorsed Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner had a Nazi tattoo, Sanders refused to withdraw his support, even though he has acknowledged Jewish heritage. When it later came out that Platner also had a history of racist and bigoted social media posts, Sanders remained in his corner. When Platner then began sending NDA’s to his campaign staff, Sanders remained resolutely by his side. By week’s end, there were very few original supporters of Graham Platner who stuck with someone who clearly wasn’t vetted before his Senate run. Bernie Sanders was one of those supporters.

Because to withdraw support would mean that Bernie Sanders would have to apologize. He would have to admit that he was wrong and that he made a poor decision in endorsing Graham Platner. He would have to swallow his pride and shift gears to announce his support for Janet Mills, somebody he initially refused to endorse. Admitting his mistake would require Bernie Sanders to have humility.

Instead, Bernie Sanders has doubled and tripled down.
[snip]
Sanders’ own attachment to Graham Platner was clear: he was an anti-establishment Democrat whom Sanders could closely ally himself with to finally have a like-minded colleague in the United States Senate. Since Sanders himself has tried and failed to run for president twice, all that is left is for his acolytes to succeed.

Which is why he can’t have Graham Platner fail, no matter what.

Maine is the best chance to flip a Senate seat from red to blue in 2026, and Bernie Sanders is committed to his chosen candidate. But in failing to vet Graham Planter, Bernie Sanders has again shown how problematic his “revolution” truly is. At its core, it is a movement based on angry White resentment from the left. Many are racist. Many are sexist. Many are antisemitic. Graham Platner is all three, and unsurprisingly, that combination is not a deal breaker for Bernie Sanders.

We should all be grateful for Graham Planter’s candidacy because it has shown that these Sanders-backed unvetted candidates are extremely problematic and would likely get crushed in a general election. Janet Mills has always been a stronger Maine senatorial candidate, and we’re fortunate that Platner is imploding now rather than 12 months from now.

And we’re fortunate that Bernie Sanders continues backing him, showing us once again how his “revolution” relies on the absolute worst that the Democratic Party has to offer.

Open thread.

When Someone Else Says It Better Than You CanPost + Comments (396)

Monday Morning Open Thread: Glad I’m A Democrat…

by Anne Laurie| October 27, 20255:47 am| 370 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, Republicans in Disarray!

Moon chasing the sun over the Gulf of Mexico.
#stunday #sunset #moonrise #eastcoastkin #gulfofmexico
#photography #beach #shore #water

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— Landguy (@landguyminor.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 9:55 AM

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Buckle up.

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— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 10:17 AM

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I mean this actually looks like a steady downward trend on approval. It's not as fast and it's also filled to the brim with crap partisan polling (basically 80% of polling rn is GOP aligned or river sampling), but that trend is pretty unmistakable.

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— Schnorkles O'Bork (@schnorkles.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 1:16 PM

Burning off partisans, which is what under low 40's is going to be, is going to take time and will happen very slowly. A point or two every couple of months puts him in the upper 30's by midterms, which would be flashing warning signs.

— Schnorkles O'Bork (@schnorkles.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 1:16 PM

It’s very often the combination: economic pain crystallizes into moral outrage. This is pretty much what happened with Nixon.

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— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 9:06 AM

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Warren: So now Trump wants to give Argentina $40 billion.
He talked about how tough things are for the people in Argentina and how hard they’re fighting for their economic survival.
Look around America. Look at all the farmers sitting on soybeans they’ve got no buyer for now.

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— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) October 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM

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Monday Morning Open Thread: Glad I’m A Democrat…Post + Comments (370)

Late Night Open Thread: Schadenfreude

by Anne Laurie| October 27, 20251:19 am| 31 Comments

This post is in: Grifters Gonna Grift, Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat

might be one of the funniest videos i’ve ever seen

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— onion person (@junlper.beer) October 26, 2025 at 3:27 PM

Now that she’s turned thirty (according to her Wikipedia page), Kaitlin ‘Gun Girl’ Bennett seems to have decided that elderly ladies would be an easier target than college students. Another bad life choice, Kaitlyn!

…

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— JazDog (@jazdog.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 6:03 PM

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God bless the internet

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— ???????? Grim Pierce ?????? (@unchi.org) October 26, 2025 at 5:50 PM

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Is this the idiot gun girl from some Ohio college?
The funniest part about this video is her trying to compare herself to Charlie Kirk.
All of these performative right wingers desperate to fill his slot and tap into that sweet, sweet rube cash.

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— Rap Bastardz® (@rapbastardz.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 6:32 PM

Late Night Open Thread: SchadenfreudePost + Comments (31)

War for Ukraine Day 1,340: Another Long Night/Early Morning for Ukraine

by Adam L Silverman| October 26, 20259:30 pm| 17 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

Just a quick housekeeping note: I have three more very long days after today’s, so I’m just going to run through the basics again tonight.

Russia hammered civilian targets in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Kryvyi Rih, etc again last night. We’ll get to all of it after the jump.

The cost:

Anastasia Masliy was 19 years old. Russia killed her last night in Kyiv, along with her mother. The women suffocated in their own bathroom, hiding from the fire started by a Russian drone 🕯

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 11:46 AM

3 ppl killed and 29 injured, including 6 kids, in the russian overnight attack against Kyiv. The russian terror is explicitly mocking all the American “peace efforts”. Meanwhile, the EU leaders can’t agree on using russian assets for Ukraine not offering any other alternative.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

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In Just This One Week, the Russians Have Used Against Ukraine Almost 1,200 Attack Drones and 50 Missiles of Various Types – Address by the President

26 October 2025 – 19:09

Dear Ukrainians!

Rescue operations at the site of the Russian “shahed” strike on a residential building in Kyiv have been completed today. Rescuers have been working since the night, and the firefighting efforts took quite a long time as well. As of now, all emergency work across all affected sites has been finished. Just today, in Kyiv alone, three people have been killed in the Russian attack and another 31 injured – among them children, seven children. We thank everyone who is helping people – every rescuer, all municipal services workers, everyone who is truly making every effort to help.

In just this one week, the Russians have used against Ukraine almost 1,200 attack drones and 50 missiles of various types – most of them, in fact, ballistic. Protection against such a threat can only be a collective effort – no nation in the world should have to stand alone against it. And during this week, we have moved even closer to the decisions we need. I had a conversation with the Chancellor of Germany, and we are communicating with other European partners regarding the Patriots. I want to express my particular gratitude to the United Kingdom and France: there is a decision from France to provide Ukraine with additional Mirage fighter jets and air defense missiles, while the UK will continue to assist us with air defense by supplying missiles and producing interceptor drones – thank you for that. There are also new decisions by Finland and Spain to contribute to the PURL initiative – a mechanism for procuring American weapons, including those very missiles for the Patriots. We are working on this with full focus, and our defense arrangements with European partners are working clearly. We are preparing new projects – there will be more joint weapons production. And for the world to address Russia from a position of strength, we in Ukraine must stand on strong ground ourselves. It’s crucial to always compare what the Russians were commanded to do and by when, with what they actually managed to achieve.

Ukraine’s resistance is truly heroic. I thank everyone fighting on the front lines, holding the combat posts, those training and improving our protection. I thank everyone working for our defense and the benefit of our state. These days, we’ve had good news from our Ukrainian paratroopers – our 82nd Bukovynska Brigade, operating in the Pokrovsk direction, in the Myrnohrad community. And every such success in the Pokrovsk direction now is incredibly hard to achieve, yet critically important. It is there, near Pokrovsk, that the Russians have concentrated their main strike force – a significant number of enemy troops. Of course, this creates a difficult situation in Pokrovsk and all nearby areas – fierce battles in the city and on its outskirts. There are enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups in the city. Logistics remain difficult. But we must continue destroying the occupiers; we must continue inflicting the greatest possible losses on the Russians. Russia’s plans for its offensive campaign have once again been shattered over the past ten months – thanks to the bravery of our very own warriors. And all the deadlines that Putin set: the Russian army failed to meet them, and this is not the first time. A lot has been achieved as part of the Dobropillia operation. In these areas, there has also been a significant replenishment of Ukraine’s exchange fund. I thank every soldier, sergeant, and officer fighting there in the Donetsk region, as well as in Kupyansk and Zaporizhzhia – all of this strengthens our positions in diplomacy, and greatly supports, overall, our relations with the world. Thanks to your strength, Ukrainian warriors, the world continues to have strength – and an incentive to keep pressuring Russia for this war, to keep pressuring until Russia is forced to stop this war.

I would like to commend, for the results achieved on the front lines this week, – in addition to the already mentioned 82nd Airborne Assault Brigade – also the units of the 1st Assault Regiment, the 25th Airborne Brigade, the 33rd Mechanized Brigade, the 4th Battalion of the 71st Jaeger Brigade, the 92nd Assault and 93rd Mechanized Brigades, as well as the warriors of the 132nd Reconnaissance Battalion – thank you all! And that’s the Donetsk region. Also, for fighting in the Kharkiv region, especially near Kupyansk, I want to highlight the units of our 127th Heavy Mechanized Brigade – well done, warriors! On the Oleksandrivka axis – the 414th Unmanned Systems Brigade, thank you; also the 5th Assault Brigade, the 225th and 425th Separate Assault Regiments, and the 141st Mechanized Brigade – thank you, warriors!

I thank everyone who understands that it is precisely on the front, precisely in defense production, and precisely in the resilience of our people that the ability to preserve and protect normal life is truly being won – not only for Ukraine, but for all of Europe. I thank everyone who stands with us, I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

Georgia:

Rustaveli Avenue is blocked, of course, for the 333rd consecutive day.

Around 100 protesters have been arrested in recent days for standing right here or covering their faces. 🇬🇪

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 12:38 PM

Many 🇺🇸 flags could be found at today’s rally in Georgia that marked a year since the elections were stolen from the free people of 🇬🇪.

The banner reads “impose sanctions on the Georgian Dream.”

The public has very high hopes about the adoption of the MEGOBARI Act.

#TerrorinGeorgia #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 3:28 PM

In the past couple of weeks, the regime went absolutely wild with repressions, going after every single one who’d dare to go out and protest, jailing almost over prisons capacity, and announcing an imminent ban of democratic parties, democratic politicians as individuals.

2/

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 3:01 PM

Yet, today, the public took to the streets in high numbers again despite imprisonments, and they were addressed by the legitimate President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili as well as politicians who are to be banned by the regime.

3/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 3:01 PM

Yet another major day of persistence and resilience that will eventually bring us to victory!

Video by Lado Nafetvaridze

Pictures by @rusudandjakeli.bsky.social

#GeorgiaProtests, Day 333 continuous.

4/4.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 3:01 PM

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 333

It’s been 1 year since the parliamentary elections, after which the GD government has not been recognized as legitimate by the West.

Also, Irakli Kobakhidze often says the protest doesn’t exist in Georgia.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 1:37 PM

“Until the end, until victory!” – Protest march is underway in Tbilisi. One year after the 2024 elections, protesters continue to demand:

The resignation of gov’t and elections free from Ivanishvili’s control;

The release of all political prisoners.

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 333

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 12:25 PM

⭕️One year after the parliamentary elections, citizens are holding a protest march in #Tbilisi.

📌 “Until the end – until victory!”
#GeorgiaProtests demand the govt’s resignation, free elections independent from Ivanishvili’s control, and the release of all political prisoners.

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) October 26, 2025 at 12:29 PM

Georgian Dream PM Kobakhidze keeps insisting the protest is “dead” in Georgia.

Meanwhile, the crowd on day 333 of uninterrupted, nationwide protests:

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 12:34 PM

Despite 100+ arrests in recent days for peaceful protest, a strong crowd gathers again on day 333 of uninterrupted, nationwide protests in Georgia — marking one year since Georgian Dream rigged the parliamentary elections. 🇬🇪

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 12:27 PM

Three regime prisoners in Georgia begin a hunger strike as they face treatment tantamount to torture. #TerrorinGeorgia #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 11:21 AM

“We stand with Georgia!” – An address to the people of 🇬🇪 for the one-year mark of the rigged October 26 elections and subsequent persistent daily protests by Chairs of EU and/or Foreign Affairs committees of the Parliaments of 🇸🇪🇫🇮🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹🇵🇱🇱🇺🇸🇰🇦🇹, & 🇸🇪 FM Maria Stenergard!

Special gratitude to Erik Ottoson!

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 5:55 AM

Australia:

In Australia, activists and members of the Ukrainian diaspora unfurled a massive Ukrainian flag.

I can’t quite explain why support from the other side of the world feels so deeply moving, but it does. It made my day warmer and brighter. Thank you, truly.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 9:36 AM

Lithuania:

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda proposed restricting transit to Kaliningrad and closing the Belarus border after smuggling balloons disrupted airports, calling it a hybrid attack requiring response measures.

— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 10:40 AM

FloriDUH! Woman:

Russian envoy Dmitriev brought Putin quote candies to Congresswoman Looney, who likely received Russian Kennedy assassination files from him.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM

Congresswoman Luna is not the sharpest knife in the plastic chopstick drawer, but she should probably not eat any of that chocolate.

Carlo Graziani:

Bad news: Large refinery not working.

Good news: Leaves more idle workers available for meat waves.

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— Darth Putin (@darthputinkgb.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 2:11 PM

Back to Ukraine.

🔥Batch of @wildhornets.bsky.social FPV drones handed over to the Azov Brigade

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 12:41 PM

At least 9 of 90 Russian Shahed kamikaze drones intercepted tonight were shot down by STING anti-Shahed drones developed by @wildhornets.bsky.social

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 3:39 AM

Ukrainian air defenses shot down or suppressed 90 out of 101 Russian drones overnight, including Shahed and Gerbera types, the Air Force reported. Five drones struck four locations with debris falling at five sites.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 4:12 AM

Kyiv:

Kyiv right now.

The woman screams “save us”

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 25, 2025 at 9:11 PM

Kyiv spent a second sleepless night under russian attack. A drone struck an apartment building, killing three people and injuring 29, including six children.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 2:59 AM

On the night of October 25, Russia destroyed the warehouses of the pharmaceutical company Optima-Pharm, which spanned 29,000 square meters and was completely burned down, and the production facilities of IDEALIST coffee&co during an attack on Kyiv.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 9:19 AM

Despite the clearly civilian nature of the targets, Russia cynically claimed in its report that it had “destroyed a military facility.”

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 9:19 AM

A 19-year-old woman and her 46-year-old mother were killed in a russian strike on Kyiv, according to Ihor Klymenko.🕯
1 more body remains unidentified.

29 people were injured, including 7 children.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 7:10 AM

Sumy:

Russian drone struck a bus carrying civilians in Sumy Oblast, injuring five people, including a child.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 1:35 PM

Russian FPV drone struck civilian shuttle bus on Sumy-Bilopillia highway injuring 10 people including two children aged 8 and 15. Two are in critical condition including one child, medics fighting for their lives.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 2:28 PM

Kryvyi Rih:

❗️Russia has just struck Kryvyi Rih with an aerial bomb!

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 6:40 AM

Donetsk Oblast:

Russia continues to kill civilians across Ukraine — three people in Donetsk Oblast and one in Kharkiv. Eight more were injured in the latest attacks.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 6:02 AM

Ukrainian border guard pilots from the Feniks unit and adjacent forces repelled a Russian assault in Donetsk region, destroying 14 heavy armored vehicles, one tank, and eliminating approximately 50 occupiers, the State Border Guard Service reported.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 11:02 AM

Podoly, Kharkiv Oblast:

Today, after the Russian attack, a house caught fire in Podoly village, i Kharkiv region.

🕯A 57-year-old woman was killed.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 7:57 AM

Kharkiv Oblast:

A Russian glide bomb strikes near a civilian in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region.

Bloody bastards.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 11:17 AM

Kherson Oblast:

Our friends from the 34th Marine Brigade, whom we once supported with equipment and vehicle, share a video showing how they’re clearing the skies over Kherson of Russian drones.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 10:20 AM

Russian occupied Crimea:

The ATESH resistance movement disabled railway relay equipment near Armyansk in occupied Crimea, halting train traffic used by Russian forces to supply ammunition and equipment to the front, the group reported.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 3:05 AM

Ukrainian HUR special unit Prymarry struck three Russian radar systems and one landing craft in Crimea while evading air defense missiles, the unit reported. The targets included radars from S-400, P-18 Terek, and Nebo-U systems, plus a BK-16 landing craft.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 9:09 AM

Russian occupied Luhansk Oblast:

Ukrainian drones are currently flying over occupied Luhansk, local residents report.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 11:13 AM

Moscow Oblast:

An oil depot in the Moscow region is on fire. Earlier, the region had declared an alert due to UAVs 👀🔥

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 11:56 AM

Moscow:

Reportedly, a russian mobile air defense group near Kremlin in Moscow.

It’s afraid 👀

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 4:52 PM

Ryazan and Tula Oblasts, Russia:

It was loud overnight in Russia’s Ryazan and Tula regions, with multiple explosions heard near Protasovo airport and air defense locations, local residents reported.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 3:19 AM

Belgorod Oblast, Russia:

Satellite imagery shows breach in dam in Belgorod.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 2:04 PM

Close-up footage of strike damage on the Belgorod dam.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 12:51 PM

From Ukrainska Pravda:

The 16th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has reported that the dam near Russia’s Belgorod has begun leaking water following a strike, leaving Russian units that crossed the Siverskyi Donets River near the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast effectively cut off from their main forces.

Source: 16th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; Vyacheslav Gladkov, Governor of Russia’s Belgorod Oblast

Details: Gladkov said on 25 October that “there is damage to the dam of the Belgorod Reservoir as a result of a strike by the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.

“We understand that the enemy may attempt to strike again and destroy the dam. If that happens, there will be a risk of flooding in the river’s floodplain on the side of Kharkiv Oblast and several streets in our settlements, home to around 1,000 residents,” he wrote.

According to Gladkov, the Russian authorities have proposed that residents of certain streets in the settlements of Bezlyudovka, Novaya Tavolzhanka and Shebekino be relocated to temporary accommodation centres in Belgorod.

On the night of 25-26 October, Gladkov added that water has only partially flooded just over 10 private garden plots, and no homes have been affected.

On 26 October, the 16th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine issued a statement on the situation in the Vovchansk area of Kharkiv Oblast. It noted that the Russians have achieved some local successes, but at the cost of heavy losses.

Quote from the 16th Army Corps: “As of today, the situation is no longer in the Russians’ favour. After the strike on the Belgorod dam, it has started leaking. Russian media reports say that the reservoir’s water level has dropped by one metre in just one day. As they say, trouble has begun – or more precisely, water has started flowing into the Siverskyi Donets. Some Russian dugouts are reported to have been flooded.

But the main thing is that the enemy’s logistics have become significantly more complicated. The leaves have fallen too. So the units that managed to cross the Siverskyi Donets have effectively been cut off from their main forces. So we’re expecting the [POW] exchange pool to be replenished.”

For reference: The Belgorod Reservoir is located on the Siverskyi Donets River in Belgorod Oblast, Russia, within the Belgorod and Shebekino districts. The dam structure is situated near the village of Bezlyudovka in the Shebekino district.

Images shared by Russian media show a slight drop in the Belgorod Reservoir water level after the dam began leaking post-shelling.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 5:28 AM

More footage from the damaged Belgorod dam.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 8:58 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There are no new Patron skeets or videos tonight. Here is some adjacent material.

🇺🇦 The broken wall bears the word “Love” in black letters on the gray scars of concrete.

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) October 25, 2025 at 6:38 AM

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 1,340: Another Long Night/Early Morning for UkrainePost + Comments (17)

Sunday Evening Open Thread: Pity the American Farmer

by Anne Laurie| October 26, 20255:11 pm| 74 Comments

This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, Show Us on the Doll Where the Invisible Hand Touched You, Trumpery

Democrats should carpet bomb the Midwest with ads of this clip during the closing stretch of the 2026 campaign.

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— Kevin M. Kruse (@kevinmkruse.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 1:22 PM

LOL- he's a landlord to corporate sharecroppers.

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— Dennis See Sea (@dennis-see-sea.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 1:44 PM

Please sir I am just a small soybean farmer and a common man

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— amanda moore 🐢 (@noturtlesoup17.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 2:21 PM

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Reaping, sowing, things of that nature…

“Since siding with [Obama] twice, Iowa has become a stronghold for Mr. Trump. Yet perhaps no state has struggled more with his economic policies. During the first quarter of 2025, Iowa’s GDP dropped by 6.1%, more than any other state aside from neighboring Nebraska.” www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/u…

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— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur.bsky.social) October 26, 2025 at 12:35 PM

show full post on front page

Gift link:

When President Trump announced a $20 billion bailout for Argentina this month, Larry Ory, 86, a farmer in Earlham, Iowa, could hardly believe it, especially after boatloads of Argentine soybeans began shipping to China, a once-critical customer for Mr. Ory’s family.

For Iowans, losing China’s soybean market in the president’s trade war was only one of many economic shocks that have hit the state since the start of Mr. Trump’s second term. The cost of tractors and fertilizers have shot up with his tariffs. Labor has grown scarcer in agribusinesses. Major manufacturers have laid off workers. Even the ubiquitous wind turbines that provide income for some Iowa farmers are in the president’s sights.

“Right now, we’re fighting different economic wars all at once,” said Summer Ory, 37, the wife of Mr. Ory’s grandson, Dan. The couple works in the family’s farm business. “You can sustain it one at a time, but right now it’s death by a thousand paper cuts.”

Ms. Ory said she votes in every election, but she, like Mr. Ory, declined to say who she cast her ballot for last November…

Manufacturing, which drives 17 percent of Iowa’s economic output, has been hit with higher production costs in part because of steep tariffs on inputs like aluminum and steel. Meatpacking plants, which help make Iowa the nation’s leading pork producer, rely heavily on foreign-born workers, hundreds of thousands of whom saw their legal status stripped away by the president. Mr. Trump’s war on renewable energy also threatens the wind industry that produces more than half of Iowa’s electricity.

Some of the state’s troubles, like bad weather, high interest rates, an aging and shrinking rural population, and global commodity prices, are beyond the president’s control. But new economic policies have magnified the state’s woes, according to economists, agricultural groups and some business leaders…

The president’s bailout of his ally, President Javier Milei of Argentina, has rankled many Iowans, since China moved immediately after it was announced to lock up Argentine soybean exports to fill the gap from Beijing’s boycott of American soy.

“Who are you subsidizing, our competitors or us?” Larry Ory asked.

Iowa’s large beef industry then recoiled after Mr. Trump suggested he would try to lower the cost of beef by importing more from Argentina. Bryan Whaley, the chief executive of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, said Mr. Trump’s comments roiled cattle markets, and a volatile market “provides less of an opportunity for our producers — cattlemen and women here in Iowa — to make decisions that are going to help keep them profitable and viable.”…

John Gilbert, a farmer in Iowa Falls, said he expected the government payments to favor larger agribusinesses and to drive more consolidation in an industry that has been dominated by big corporations.

“The payments are skewed to the bigger guys,” said Mr. Gilbert, a Democrat whose family has about 800 acres of land for grains and livestock…

I mean sure he’s bankrupting me and people like me, but he’s also making immigrants suffer. So as you can see, it’s a hard choice.

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— Radley Balko (@radleybalko.bsky.social) October 25, 2025 at 8:27 PM

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Sunday Evening Open Thread: Pity the American FarmerPost + Comments (74)

Final Push in Virginia – National Ground Game and the Youth Vote at Virginia Tech!

by WaterGirl| October 26, 202512:17 pm| 70 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Political Action, Political Fundraising, Politics, Targeted Political Fundraising 2025-26

Election day is November 4 and Virginia is more important than ever.

This off-year election gives us the chance to make the Old Dominion state the next Democratic trifecta. Not to mention that Virginia is a bastion of reproductive rights in the Old South.

Balloon Juice peeps have done our part so far.

helped fund Four Directions in their expansion into Virginia to work with the Native vote there.
raised funds for two flippable seats in Virginia.
National Ground Game is the third leg of our stool in Virginia!

Dollars?

raised over $30,000, plus $40k in matching funds for Four Directions
raised over $8,000 for Kimberly Pope Adams, who is now projected to win. (fingers crossed!)
raised over $5,000 for Virgil Thornton, who is on the verge of moving from toss-up to projected win by a very slim margin.

Side note: auction and raffle winners – have you received your quilts?

NEW @statenavigate.org poll in VA HD-86

GOV | 🔵Spanberger +5
LG | 🔵Hashmi +1
AG | 🔵Jones +1
HoD | 🔵Thornton +6

statenavigate.org/new-poll-sho…

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— Chaz Nuttycombe (@chaznuttycombe.bsky.social) October 21, 2025 at 12:58 PM

THERMOMETER REMOVED BECAUSE WE HAVE MET OUR GOAL, AND HAVE FULLY FUNDED THEIR ACTIVITIES FOR VIRGINIA. YAY YOU GUYS!

And in late-breaking news, Virginia Democrats are holding a special session tomorrow to draw a new Congressional map that could net us two or three additional seats in 2026.

Jay Jones, running for Attorney General, had a slight lead 4 days ago, but is slipping. He’s a complicated candidate, but he beats the hell out of any Republican. We need the AG in the Democratic column to actively support the new congressional map that could help us make up 2 or 3 of the seats the Rs are trying to steal with their TX gerrymandering.

All of this requires electing Abigail Spanberger for Governor and the Democrats retaining (and expanding) their razor-thin 51-49 majority in the House of Delegates. (Senate seats are not up for re-election until 2027).

Let’s talk more about the ground game.

We helped National Ground Game register and turn out voters in Florida’s two Congressional special elections in April.

We had started to raise money for their fun and creative effort to counter-program high profile Charlie Kirk rallies on Virginia college campuses. They were bringing in liberal influencers and Tik Tok celebrities with widespread youth appeal to counter the venom spewed by Turning Point USA (as well as register voters).

For obvious reasons, they needed to pivot in the wake of Kirk’s death. They stepped back temporarily out of respect for the situation and to avoid adding any fuel to the overwrought martyrdom fire. I stopped actively promoting the fundraising to give them time to regroup and make arrangements to get back into Virginia before the election. Nevertheless, to date we have raised $4,225 for Ground Game in Virginia.

And now we’re back in the game – and with our funds, National Ground Game is going back into Virginia! Ground Game has jumped the bureaucratic hurdles to obtain permission to hold a get-out-the-vote event on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg featuring.

The rally will feature, among others, popular live-streamer and political commenter Destiny, who is sure to be a big draw with the yutes. Although early voting has already started, the event will fire up college voters to turn up at the polls, provide them with late registration information, and sign them up as future volunteers.

So we are funding a big, celebratory Democratic presence on campus, days before the election!!

But wait, there’s more. Ground Game will circulate flyers promoting House of Delegates candidate and challenger Lily Franklin. Lily was highly recommended to us by Good Kim (see below) as an excellent campaigner and top-notch future representative. But Lily was (fortunately) well-financed without us, so we raised funds for Virgil Thornton, hoping for a flip there. Looks like we chose well because that seat has show as a toss-up until just a day or two ago. Anyway, this is our chance for us to help pull Lily Franklin over the finish line, as well.

With so many fingers crossed, it’s hard to type!

The National Ground Game projects a total cost of $6,500 to underwrite this event, which includes permits, insurance, transportation, security, some paid staff, volunteer meals and related expenses. I’ve set our goal at $7,500 because when does anything like this ever come in exactly at, or under budget?

We have a $500 angel in the wings! pat’s Angel Match has been met, thank you!

We can do this TODAY, I hope!

Here’s hoping we can easily raise the additional funds to completely fund this fun and inspiring event.

Things are looking good in Virginia. Virginia election forecaster Chaz Nuttycombe has predicted a narrow win for BJ-supported candidate Virgil Thornton and a 5-point margin for Kimberly Pope Adams (our “Good Kim”), flipping two Republican held seats (h/t Blue Guitarist). And he gives Democratic challenger Lily Franklin a 61% chance of flipping the Republican seat centered on Blacksburg and Virginia Tech.

There are 5 additional R-held seats projected to be very close – Consider volunteering to phone bank!

What they need are people to virtual phone bank from anywhere, and folks to canvass if you are in range to help with that.

Details at mobilize.us

Watch for a post early next year – and a zoom to meet the National Ground Game folks – to hear about their 2026 plans to resume counter-programming Turning Point rallies and organize stand-alone events of their own. This is creative and exciting stuff, targeted at young voters whose political ideology is still in flux!

No Regrets! That’s the name of the game.

Final Push in Virginia – National Ground Game and the Youth Vote at Virginia Tech!Post + Comments (70)

Deputinize America on Friday Night Open Thread (Nov 7, 2025 @ 9:54pm)

Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) on Friday Night Open Thread (Nov 7, 2025 @ 9:54pm)

different-church-lady on Friday Night Open Thread (Nov 7, 2025 @ 9:54pm)

Jackie on Friday Night Open Thread (Nov 7, 2025 @ 9:53pm)

different-church-lady on Friday Night Open Thread (Nov 7, 2025 @ 9:52pm)

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

’Where will you hide, Roberts, the laws all being flat?’

Giving up is unforgivable.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

Find someone who loves you the way trump and maga love traitors.

Today in our ongoing national embarrassment…

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

Monday Afternoon Open Thread: What We Could’ve Had

When Someone Else Says It Better Than You Can

Monday Morning Open Thread: Glad I’m A Democrat…

Late Night Open Thread: Schadenfreude

War for Ukraine Day 1,340: Another Long Night/Early Morning for Ukraine

In Just This One Week, the Russians Have Used Against Ukraine Almost 1,200 Attack Drones and 50 Missiles of Various Types – Address by the President

Sunday Evening Open Thread: Pity the American Farmer

Final Push in Virginia – National Ground Game and the Youth Vote at Virginia Tech!

Election day is November 4 and Virginia is more important than ever.

Side note: auction and raffle winners – have you received your quilts?

THERMOMETER REMOVED BECAUSE WE HAVE MET OUR GOAL, AND HAVE FULLY FUNDED THEIR ACTIVITIES FOR VIRGINIA. YAY YOU GUYS!

Let’s talk more about the ground game.

We have a $500 angel in the wings! pat’s Angel Match has been met, thank you!

There are 5 additional R-held seats projected to be very close – Consider volunteering to phone bank!

No Regrets! That’s the name of the game.