The Gist – Episode Summary

Podcast: The Gist
Host: Mike Pesca (Peach Fish Productions)
Guest: Matthew Hiltzik, Founder & CEO of Hiltzik Strategies
Episode: Matthew Hiltzik on the Craft of Crisis Communications
Date: November 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Gist, Mike Pesca sits down with Matthew Hiltzik—renowned crisis PR expert and founder of Hiltzik Strategies—to explore the nuances of crisis communications, Hiltzik’s formative experiences in law and politics, shifting trends in political campaigns, and the intersection of media and public perception. The conversation is both insightful and candid, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how crises are managed and how communication influences both politics and business.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Hiltzik’s Early Influences and Career Path (09:08–16:14)

• Origins and Education:

  • Hiltzik recalls a formative moment at Cornell University and outlines his aspiration to combine law, sports, and entertainment, inspired by his father and NBA Commissioner David Stern.
  • Describes the breadth of his studies (“I did not take a single course in political science or history… I really had a very well rounded education...”—Hiltzik, 11:04).

• Role Models:

  • Mentions following the example set by both his father and David Stern: “Those were really my two role models in terms of that path.” (10:59)

• Getting into Politics:

  • Unexpected entry into politics, first as a volunteer for Carolyn McCarthy’s congressional campaign after the Long Island Rail Road shooting tragedy. Hiltzik praises the authenticity and community focus of her campaign:

    “It was probably the purest form of politics... because it was a community that was rallying around someone, one of their own, who really cared and was doing this for all the right reasons.” (15:08)

Learning from Political Campaigns and Public Figures (16:14–23:06)

• Early Political Roles:

  • Describes how he moved from law into PR and political communications, landing as press secretary and then deputy executive director of the New York State Democratic Party.

• Judith Hope’s Leadership:

  • Hiltzik credits former party leader Judith Hope for teaching him about infrastructure-building, inclusiveness, and pushing past political double standards, especially regarding women in leadership.

• Firsthand Lessons from “Forged in Fire” Campaigns:

  • Shares a vivid anecdote about Chuck Schumer’s attention to detail and retail politics—Schumer remembered Hiltzik’s grandfather’s $25 donation from 23 years earlier:

    “He said, are you related to Abe Hiltzik? And he had remembered that 23 years earlier, Abe Hiltzig had written him a check. And that was a great lesson in retail politics.” (19:47)

• Campaign Communication Challenges:

  • Recounts the task of explaining to media outlets an awkward comment about Schumer from Al D’Amato, providing early lessons in spinning narratives (21:00).

• Media’s Role and Political Messaging:

  • Mentions Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s unexpected detour into geopolitics at a state party convention, highlighting how sometimes politicians miss the immediate audience's needs, irrespective of their intellect.

Modern Political Communications & Digital Strategy (23:06–28:41)

• Shifting Campaign Media:

  • Mike Pesca brings up differences in approach between traditional (air/broadcast) and modern (social/digital) campaign strategies.
  • Hiltzik emphasizes the increasing power and precision of targeted digital communication:

    “I think that the social and digital component is more and more important...the precision that's available through social and digital is really... significant.” (23:44)

• Digital vs. Traditional—The Power of Touch:

  • Recognizes lasting value in traditional visibility (broadcast), but says digital allows for more precise audience engagement.
  • Warns against over-interpreting digital signal as a proxy for all political support:

    “It’s something where people notice that...But the reality is once you have that momentum and you're able to show a significant increase in the followers, it's something where people notice that.” (24:26)

• Demographic Factors:

  • Argues social campaigns are not exclusively about age; notes success comes from recognizing new communication methods, referencing Bernie Sanders and Howard Dean as examples.

• Hidden Voter Communities:

  • Hiltzik stresses unseen segments—such as communities with limited tech access or reasons for privacy—are often missed by digital analysis:

    “There's still a total lack of visibility of people and communities who are not as active on social...especially in Jewish communities in Brooklyn...different immigrant groups and people who may not have the means.” (27:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Community Politics:

  “It was something where all the things that we see now that can be so divisive and negative, none of that existed there because it was a community that was rallying around someone...for all the right reasons.”
  —Matthew Hiltzik (15:08)

• On Schumer’s Retail Politics:

  “He said, are you related to Abe Hiltzik? And he had remembered that 23 years earlier, Abe Hiltzig had written him a check. And that was a great lesson in retail politics.”
  —Matthew Hiltzik (19:47)

• On Targeted Political Messaging:

  “My approach is that from being a lawyer and member of the bar is that I'm going to be very fact based in my approach, but I'm also going to try to be precise about the audiences that we want to reach.”
  —Matthew Hiltzik (24:10)

• On the Unseen Vote:

  “There's a lot of highly motivated people who, in the same way that there's a lot of visibility on social media, there's still a total lack of visibility of people and communities who are not as active on social...you should still be thinking about that, too.”
  —Matthew Hiltzik (27:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Career origins and educational influences: 09:08–12:35
• First hands-on political campaign experiences: 13:54–15:08
• Learning from campaign leadership and Judith Hope: 16:14–18:31
• Schumer campaign, retail politics lessons: 18:31–21:00
• Explaining campaign faux pas to media: 21:00–22:48
• Traditional vs. digital campaign strategy: 23:06–25:36
• Hidden dynamics in digital campaigning: 25:36–28:41

Tone and Atmosphere

Pesca maintains his signature “responsibly provocative” and conversational tone, prompting Hiltzik to elaborate with a mix of earnestness and insider candor. The discussion deftly balances wit and genuine insight, with anecdotes ranging from humorous memory-lane moments to honest reflections on campaign life.

For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

For professionals interested in crisis PR, political strategy, or the evolving media landscape, this episode delivers a rich, real-world look at how successful communicators and advisors operate—especially during high-stakes moments. Hiltzik’s stories about New York politics, campaign dynamics, and messaging precision provide practical lessons in both the art and science of influential communication.