Background of Biden’s Story
Former President Joe Biden recently shared an anecdote about his experiences with an Amtrak conductor named Angelo Negri during his appearance on Jay Leno’s Garage YouTube show. Biden recounted that Negri approached him regarding an article claiming Biden had flown over 1.2 million miles on Air Force Two. Negri allegedly admonished Biden for talking about his air miles instead of his extensive train travel.
Inconsistencies in the Story
The anecdote, as told by Biden, contains several factual errors. Negri had passed away before Biden logged 1.2 million miles on Air Force Two. Furthermore, Negri retired in 1993, long before Biden became vice president. Despite these discrepancies, Biden has repeated the story multiple times, and it has been publicly fact-checked by several news outlets including the Associated Press and CNN.
Details of the Amtrak Story
Biden, who has frequently shared this anecdote, told Leno about traveling from Washington, D.C., to Delaware to visit his sick mother. He described being surrounded by Secret Service agents when Negri approached him and commented on his train travel miles.
The conductor asserted that Biden had traveled significantly on Amtrak, calculating Biden’s rail mileage as a senator and vice president, and claimed it surpassed the milestones achieved on Air Force Two.
Verification of Rail Miles
Reports suggest Biden could have surpassed a million miles on Amtrak by late 2015, supported by evidence from sources like CNN and Biden’s photographer David Lienemann. Negri’s stepdaughter confirmed their friendship despite his retirement, stating Negri admired Biden.
The timeline raises questions about the validity of Biden’s account, considering Biden would have reached a million miles on Air Force Two after Negri’s death in 2014. This leads to speculation that Biden possibly mixed up details or speakers in his narration of the story.