The aftermath of the devastating fire in Los Angeles has become a story defined by politics (local and national), the media, tech platforms, powerful moguls, and Hollywood itself, given the location and the number of entertainment people who have been impacted. On account of that unusually potent mix, and considering that Donald Trump’s second inauguration is taking place on Monday, I wrangled two of my Puck partners—Peter Hamby, who lives in Venice Beach and wrote about the local political situation on Monday, and John Heilemann, who grew up in L.A. and has covered national politics for decades—for a frank conversation about next steps. We discussed who in Hollywood might emerge as a leader in the recovery, and whether the new administration in Washington will help or hurt that effort, among other topics. Our edited conversation is below.