J. L. Reinsch; Broadcaster, Political Aide

J. Leonard Reinsch, longtime Cox Broadcasting Corp. chairman who advised Winston Churchill on his “Iron Curtain” speech and John F. Kennedy in the 1960 televised presidential debates with Richard M. Nixon, has died. He was 82.

Reinsch, of Marietta, Ga., died Thursday of heart failure at Johns Hopkins Medical Center.

Cox Broadcasting’s chairman from 1939 until he retired in 1973, Reinsch gave advice on television matters to four presidents: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He also aided losing candidate Adlai E. Stevenson in 1952 and 1956.

Reinsch won popularity in Los Angeles in 1960 for planning the Democratic National Convention in the Los Angeles Sports Arena. A Times columnist wrote that Reinsch was “cool, calm and collected.” The convention nominated Kennedy.

In September, 1944, Reinsch advised Roosevelt on his “Fala” radio speech, in which the president said Republicans not only attacked his family but also his dog, Fala.

He advised Winston Churchill on his radio speech from Independence, Mo., in March, 1946, in which the former British prime minister coined the phrase “Iron Curtain.”

Meek in appearance, Reinsch was known as a bare-knuckles political fighter. In the 1960 presidential campaign, he knew that Nixon had injured a knee when he struck it on a car door, so he suggested that Nixon and Kennedy stand for their first hourlong debate. To Reinsch’s surprise, Nixon agreed.

Reinsch was credited with pressing CBS producers to get plenty of reaction shots of Nixon during the debates. In 11 shots of Nixon, the Republican appeared uncomfortable, shifting his feet, sweating and wiping his brow. Kennedy, in nine shots, appeared relaxed and comfortable.

Kennedy later autographed a photo to his adviser: “To Leonard Reinsch, whose great debates helped make possible the great debates.”

Larry Taishoff, publisher of Broadcasting magazine, said in 1988: “CBS’ Frank Stanton was probably the father of televised presidential debates, and Leonard was the grandfather.”