Tom Schieffer, born John Thomas Schieffer (1947), is a former Democratic gubernatorial candidate for governor, Texas state lawmaker and U.S. diplomat. Schieffer received appointments by President George W. Bush to serve as ambassador to Japan and Australia.
He is a former business partner of George W. Bush. Together they invested in the Texas Rangers baseball club. Schieffer is also the younger brother of CBS anchor Bob Schieffer.
In 2009, Schieffer began a campaign to run for Texas governor in 2010. During the campaign, some Democrats made a point of Schieffer's ties and loyalty to a Republican president. Schieffer responded to questions to the left-leaning Burnt Orange Report in March 2009:
Well I've always been frustrated that the George W. Bush I know and that I've seen in private has never gotten across to the American people. I think that is unfortunate. But this is not an election about his administration or about the past but about the future. George Bush asked me to serve my country and I tried to do that. I told him at the time that I would be honored to serve the country but that I didn't want to be a Republican. He said that's fine. I'm not asking you to serve the Republican Party I'm asking you to serve your country.
By November 2009, Schieffer said he could not find enough support and fundraising interest to continue his campaign. He exited the race and encouraged Houston Mayor Bill White, who was then running for a U.S. Senate seat, to switch races and run for governor instead. White joined the gubernatorial race the next week.
Schieffer is a native of Fort Worth. He received his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.
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