Doug Pinkham

Past President, Public Affairs Council. Writer, speaker and strategist on public affairs and communications issues. Also semi-successful teller of dad jokes.

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

When our grand dog Bennett can’t find anyone to play fetch, he plays a game he created that we call Lifeguard! He INTENTIONALLY knocks the ball into the water and runs around frantically declaring an emergency. Then he finally jumps in and rescues the ball. Over and over again.

[Dan Cataneo 🌐 @DCataneo]

He had the basin painted dark blue, which absorbs more sunlight that’s thereby converted into thermal heat via convection — this accelerates algae blooms. Rather than renovate the water filtration system & replace leaking pipes, he spent $14.5 Million on liner & a paint-job that'll deteriorate in less than 6 months.

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@TheTweetOfGod Thank you God.

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@Acyn Experts list 6 key mistakes people sometimes make when facing a crisis — and Trump does all of them:
1. Deflecting blame
2. Being defensive
3. Lying
4. Not apologizing
5. Going silent
6. Failing to take action

Trump’s cruelty is only exceeded by his incompetence.

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@Gosleepriya 116

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@RadioFreeTom This passage about Gorka and Trump is a Tom Nichols classic.

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@AgathaChocolats “Stop going vrrrooom, vrrrooom, dammit!”

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@AgathaChocolats “Grab a wrench — and a biscuit.”

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@TheTweetOfGod Zombies is the winner — by far.

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@MeidasTouch @RonFilipkowski I can’t believe Joe Biden put algae in the reflecting pool.

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@CalltoActivism @godel1717 Clearly the elephant misread the banner on his back. He thought it said “Urine Drives Victory.”

[Michael Beschloss @BeschlossDC]

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was named by Act of Congress, January 1964, signed by President Johnson:

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@Mollyploofkins When I was growing up in Cleveland, the Cuyahoga River had RIVER scum — and it was free.

[Josh Kraushaar @JoshKraushaar]

"If talented young men and women cease going into public service, ceding those jobs to their potentially mediocre or more partisan peers, the machinery of our democracy will rust and our nation’s security and safety will suffer"
https://t.co/DBufmgB8j9

[Hanna Liubakova @HannaLiubakova]

I can't, can't, can't listen to complaints and hopelessness anymore.

I come from a country that is probably the last place on earth that should be giving anyone hope. And yet, I often feel like I'm the only person in the room who knows what to do and is prepared for the worst.

Fine. Let's just get back to work.

Meanwhile, in countries with elections, separation of powers, and free media - despite all the attacks on those systems - people tell me they're not optimistic, that they're frustrated.

I'm not the most diplomatic person, so forgive me (or don't), but how is frustration helpful? So what?

I think we should focus on what can actually be done: define our goals clearly and then work toward them, step by step.

The funny thing is, I'm far from naive. I know exactly how bad things can get. Maybe that's precisely why I don't see despair as a strategy.

[David Makovsky @DavidMakovsky]

Worth remembering when assessing Tehran’s negotiating strategy:
Iranian FM Araghchi literally wrote The Power of Negotiation (2025). His advice: “maximize what is received and minimize what is given” (p. 24). He also extols “repetition, repetition, and repetition” until the other side “gets numb” and consents (p. 185).
He may be referring to a belief claiming the US doesn’t have the stomach for a protracted negotiation and some will wonder if Iran is counting on Trump being distracted with other issues. Araghchi writes: “The Iranian negotiation style is generally known in the world as the ‘market style,’ which means continuous and tireless bargaining… he who gets tired and bored quickly will lose.”

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@AgathaChocolats “Fine, but don’t spite my face.”

[John Collins @Logically_JC]

This one hits hard.

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@Acyn “The reaction was mixed. Some people booed, others booed and inexplicably held up one finger, and still others booed and accused Trump of having a conjugal relationship with a rodent.”

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@RadioFreeTom That is a very loaded “Oh.”

[Doug Pinkham @dougfromDC]

@washingtonpost I’ll bet you $10 that Trump will hear about the thousands of people waiting to boo him and then he’ll cancel at the last minute because “Iran just called us about my peace deal.”