CLEVELAND – One could argue that the Republican National Convention couldn’t have happened this week without Bill Freytag.
Most days Freytag serves as the deputy director of Richland County’s Board of Elections. This week, he’s been in Cleveland serving as a volunteer driver transporting the speakers of the Republican National Convention.
“We are a group of 20 to 30 drivers that transport the speakers for the convention, from either the airport to the hotel or the hotel to the arena, wherever they want to go,” Freytag said. “It’s quite an interesting experience; I’m meeting a lot of neat people.”
It’s a job that came together by sheer luck. Originally, Freytag was slated to attend the convention as a delegate for retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
When Carson did not earn any delegates after Ohio’s primary election – where all 66 delegates went to Gov. John Kasich – Freytag’s plan changed.
“I had signed up to be a volunteer, and I didn’t want to be stuck being a hotel greeter,” he said. “I wanted to be out and about.”
That opportunity came with a call from organizers directly within the Republican National Convention. Freytag agreed immediately, even though he didn’t know exactly what his duties would be.
“I didn’t know I’d be doing this, but I figured working directly with the RNC I was going to get a pretty cool assignment,” he said with a laugh.
After passing a background check with the U.S. Secret Service and completing a training session prior to convention week, Freytag was ready to hit the streets. On Sunday, his official duties began.
The first two days were long; starting at 7 a.m. and ending by 1 a.m. the next morning. Freytag drives an hour and a half from Mansfield every day to spend even more hours driving around Cleveland.
“You get out into this mess and there might be protesters so you have to go a different way, but I know Cleveland pretty well,” he said.
It’s been worth it. Freytag has transported some of the Republican party’s most prominent speakers this week, starting Monday with U.S. Marine Corps. Veteran Mark “Oz” Geist, who fought in the battle of Benghazi.
For at least a moment, Freytag has the opportunity to experience little vignettes from the lives of the speakers.
“Oz was on the phone probably two-thirds of the time arguing with his wife; he was only going to be here a couple days and he didn’t think it was necessary for her to come,” Freytag said with a laugh. “But he was pretty talkative.”
The most talkative, Freytag said, was businessman Andy Wist, who spoke on Tuesday. Wist founded the Standard Waterproofing Company and grew the company into one of the largest roofing, waterproofing and landmark restoration companies in New York City.
Even as a New Yorker, Freytag said Wist was impressed with Cleveland’s architecture.
“He said he loved the buildings here more than New York because they’re old, and in New York they’re all modern and new,” Freytag said.
And then there was U.S. Army ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who was a bit gruff on Monday.
“They were talking about the liberal media and how they weren’t going to schedule any more interviews with the liberal media,” Freytag said. “I told them that pretty much eliminates everybody but Fox News.”
Freytag was hoping to transport Carson, who spoke at the convention on Tuesday evening. But there was one speaker who caused the most fuss among the drivers.
“I was hoping I’d get to transport Ben Carson, but we’re a pool of drivers so it goes to whoever is available, we don’t get to pick and choose. Everybody was fighting over getting Natalie Gulbis,” he added with a laugh.
Freytag said he is not the biggest fan of the Republican party’s official nominee, Donald Trump. But he does support the party – as a staunch Republican, Freytag said his experience in Cleveland this week has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Somebody asked me last night if I’d do it again,” he said. “I told them, ‘Hell yeah.’ In a minute.”
