Image via WikipediaBy Randy Economywww.Economy4abc.blogspot.com
April 25, 2011
1:10 p.m.
Los Angeles, CA
Go figure. Tom Schieffer, former Texas Rangers president and ex-US Ambassador to both Japan and Australia will be taking over the fiasco that has become the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is also tightly wound with former President George W. Bush.
Oh, this is going to be a hoot to watch this soap opera pan out over the next several months....
Ambassador Schieffer was tapped today to "oversee" the day to day operations and purse strings of the Dodgers, according to Major League Baseball Commish Bud Selig.
Here is more on the new Head Dodger Dude:
John Thomas Schieffer, known as Tom Schieffer (born October 4, 1947), is an American diplomat who served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 2005 to 2009 and as U.S. Ambassador to Australia from 2001 to 2005.
Image via WikipediaSchieffer is a friend and former business partner of President George W. Bush. He is the younger brother of Bob Schieffer, a CBS News reporter and host of Face the Nation.Schieffer's success in his law practice and business career allowed him to join an investment group, led by George W. Bush and Edward W. (Rusty) Rose that bought the Texas Rangers Baseball Club on April 21, 1989.
Having begun as only an investor in the group, Bush and Rose asked Schieffer to be the Partner-In-Charge of Ballpark Development in July 1990. Schieffer toured ballparks around America and successfully negotiated a public-private partnership with the City of Arlington, which became a model for cooperation between cities and private entities in development projects.
The Rangers and the City of Arlington announced the deal in October 1990. An election was held in January 1991, which sought the approval of Arlington voters. More people voted in that special election than had voted in the combined Democratic and Republican primaries the year before. The citizens of Arlington approved the agreement by a 65% - 35% margin. The turnout remains the largest in Arlington's history for a special election.
So, how will Scheiffer play in LA?
Time will tell. Paging Mayor Antonio Villiaraigosa. Wake up, Mr. Mayor. Houston, we have a problem...
