Biden’s Amtrak Story: A Closer Look at the Repeated Anecdote

Biden’s Repeated Anecdote on Jay Leno’s Show

Former President Joe Biden recently shared a story on the Jay Leno’s Garage YouTube show. He recounted a meeting with an Amtrak conductor, Angelo Negri, who addressed him about an article highlighting Biden’s air travel miles. The article claimed Biden had flown 1.2 million miles via Air Force Two when Biden stated Negri playfully admonished him, citing his train travel miles were nearly double the air miles.

Inconsistencies in Biden’s Story

The story is inconsistent with documented facts. Negri retired as a conductor in 1993 and passed away before Biden could have achieved the air miles milestone. Despite being fact-checked multiple times by sources like the Associated Press and CNN, Biden continues to share the story.

Biden’s Explanation and Variations

Biden has told the story multiple times, varying details slightly in each retelling. He claimed the interaction took place while visiting his ailing mother in Delaware. His mother, Catherine Eugenia “Jean” Finnegan Biden, passed away in 2010, years before Negri’s retirement and demise.

Possible Confusion

Despite the discrepancies, there is a possibility Biden confused his interaction with another Amtrak conductor. According to CNN reporting, Biden had likely traveled over a million miles on trains by late 2015. Olga Betz, Negri’s stepdaughter, confirmed the friendship between Biden and Negri.

Clarifying the Facts

Biden’s story is further complicated by the timeline. If Biden achieved his Air Force Two milestone in 2015 or 2016, visiting his dying mother during that period would be impossible since she passed away earlier. Discrepancies in the story suggest confusion, possibly mixing names or events altogether.