John,

I just had a chance to watch our podcast — how terrific! Thank you. It was fun seeing you on the other end of the line as we talked, and I was touched again by your discussing how you identified with my youthful struggles (as I see in your book) and our common interest in what the SUPERMAN TV show I watched in my youth called “Truth, Justice & The American Way” in the murder of JFK. I used to see my father, an honest reporter, as a kind of Clark Kent. I didn’t pick up on your comment that Capra films helped bring you to America. As you know, I was always a great admirer of Capra films, though I was disillusioned by what I learned of the man, and yet I still love his films, especially MR. SMITH, which he tried to disown during the Vietnam War, after informing on its screenwriter, Sidney Buchman, who was a Communist when he wrote it.

We sure covered some lively terrain with Welles and Wilder and other topics on the podcast — including the timely topic of Sirhan. What a tragedy Newsom turned down his parole for political expediency; I was one of those who spoke out on a show with one of his attorneys, Laurie Dusek, and Sirhan's brother Munir. I am glad, though, that the DOJ seems to be moving on some of the midlevel Jan. 6 ringleaders, knock wood. I haven’t had a chance to read that indictment yet. Maybe they could succeed in working upward. But like you, I won’t be satisfied until Trump and his fellow high-level conspirators are indicted. Such investigations often are disappointing, as we know. But we shall see.

Thank you for your probing and fresh questions and your keen interest in my work, the areas we share, and some of my idiosyncratic concerns — I look forward to coming back, as you kindly invited me to do at the end of what Ed Sullivan would call “a rilly big shew.” You’re such an ace interviewer and I hung on your wise words about our past and present political dilemmas.

Cheers to you,

Joe