Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe

[George K]

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/30/politics/fact-check-biden-amtrak-angelo-negri-miles-traveled/index.html

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden repeated a vivid story he has been telling since at least his 2020 presidential campaign.

Biden's story serves to illustrate both his connection with average workers and his fondness for Amtrak, the rail service he famously used for years to commute between Washington and his home state of Delaware. The story details a conversation he claims to have had with a particular Amtrak conductor as he was boarding a train as vice president.

But the story could not possibly be true -- as some conservative media outlets pointed out after Biden told one version in late April.

Facts First: Biden was friends with the Amtrak conductor at the center of the story, Angelo Negri. But Negri had been dead for more than a year -- and had been retired for more than two decades -- before the earliest moment they could conceivably have had the supposed conversation Biden keeps describing.

Biden brought back the story about Negri during a Wisconsin speech he delivered on Tuesday to promote an infrastructure proposal from a bipartisan group of senators, which includes $66 billion in rail funding.

After pronouncing himself "Mr. Amtrak," Biden said that "toward the end of my term" as vice president, "a headline came out in all of the papers" about how many miles he had flown on Air Force planes -- 1.3 million miles or 1.7 million miles, he said.

As he was getting on an Amtrak train that Friday, Biden continued, Negri grabbed him affectionately by the cheek and said, "Joey, baby!"

Biden said he had been concerned Negri would be shot by the Secret Service, so he had assured agents that Negri was a friend. Then, he said, Negri scoffed that Biden's number of miles traveled on Air Force planes was no "big deal" -- because Negri and others had figured out that Biden had traveled a greater number of miles on Amtrak trains over his career in Washington.

Biden quoted Negri as saying: "At that retirement dinner, we calculated it." He said Negri had explained the math, then concluded, "Joey, you traveled more on Amtrak."

Biden's account simply does not add up. Biden did not reach the million-miles-flown mark as vice president until September 2015, according to his own past comments. But Negri retired from Amtrak in 1993 and died in May 2014, according to an obituary published online and in the Asbury Park Press, a New Jersey newspaper.

"as some conservative media outlets pointed out"

::snort::

[Copper]

What is wrong with a media outlet that reports Mr. Biden's dirty little secrets?

Traitors!

[Loki]

The real question is does Biden generally represent accurately his life on Amtrak. A mistaken detail doesn’t undermine that and would be a gotcha if a pattern of mischaracterization isn’t found.

But as far as lies go, Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

[Copper]

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

[George K]

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

The real question is does Biden generally represent accurately his life on Amtrak. A mistaken detail doesn’t undermine that and would be a gotcha if a pattern of mischaracterization isn’t found.

If it were one detail, I'd agree. However, he's stated this "mistaken" detail twice. And, as everyone knows, he has a history of making shit up.

The surprising part of the story is that CNN actually reported it.

[Doctor Phibes]

We've got so used to scrupulous honesty over the last 4 years, this is very disappointing.

[Loki]

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

[Copper]

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

[Jolly]

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Hell, I'm still waiting on his grades...

[Loki]

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Did you even look at my link? The birth announcement was within a week. So where did the 2 year bullshit story come from. See it always pays to go to source material.

[Loki]

@jolly said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Hell, I'm still waiting on his grades...

Oh I would love to see everyone’s grades. I’ll bet you sight unseen Obama was nowhere near the bottom of recent presidents.

[Copper]

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Did you even look at my link? The birth announcement was within a week. So where did the 2 year bullshit story come from. See it always pays to go to source material.

Within a week of what?

[Loki]

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Did you even look at my link? The birth announcement was within a week. So where did the 2 year bullshit story come from. See it always pays to go to source material.

Within a week of what?

Obama was born on August 4, 1961. Two Honolulu newspapers during the week following his birth had his birth announcement in their newspaper under “birth announcements”.

A good old birthed conspiracy theory relies on the fact that you don’t know that.

Well of course you could argue that his parents knew he was going to President some day and conspired at the time of his birth to get that announcement in the paper. I’m sure you can find a group of people that would swallow that canard.

[Mik]

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@jolly said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Hell, I'm still waiting on his grades...

Oh I would love to see everyone’s grades. I’ll bet you sight unseen Obama was nowhere near the bottom of recent presidents.

No, he's clearly very intelligent and educated. Any other allegation is simply partisan slagging.

[Jolly]

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@jolly said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Hell, I'm still waiting on his grades...

Oh I would love to see everyone’s grades. I’ll bet you sight unseen Obama was nowhere near the bottom of recent presidents.

I don't know. And neither do you.

[Copper]

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Did you even look at my link? The birth announcement was within a week. So where did the 2 year bullshit story come from. See it always pays to go to source material.

Within a week of what?

Obama was born on August 4, 1961. Two Honolulu newspapers during the week following his birth had his birth announcement in their newspaper under “birth announcements”.

A good old birthed conspiracy theory relies on the fact that you don’t know that.

Well of course you could argue that his parents knew he was going to President some day and conspired at the time of his birth to get that announcement in the paper. I’m sure you can find a group of people that would swallow that canard.

Did anyone know about this birth announcement prior to 2011? With the possible exception of a few Hawaiians who weren't really aware of the significance.

The birth announcement was revealed by Mr. Obama's people in 2011.

Let me repeat.

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

I'm not swallowing any canards.
I'm not taking a position on his citizenship.
I am simply recollecting a few well-known events.

If I'm wrong about the timing or the mystery of why it took so long, let me know.

[Loki]

@jolly said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@jolly said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@copper said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

Trump accusing Obama of not being born in the US is about as big as they get.

Almost as big as saying he was born in the US with no evidence.

Um you should check out the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper at the time. That’s some whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy if that was faked

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18503640/barack-obama-birth-announcement/

Did you know that birth announcement and the copy of the birth certificate were released more than 2 years after the election?

So I don't know if was a whopper, humdinger of a conspiracy, but it was interesting timing.

I still wonder why he didn't just release it way back when.

It made a nice distraction I guess.

Hell, I'm still waiting on his grades...

Oh I would love to see everyone’s grades. I’ll bet you sight unseen Obama was nowhere near the bottom of recent presidents.

I don't know. And neither do you.

And apparently Trump’s Wharton grades are unknowable as well.

[George K]

@loki said in Amtrak (confabulatin') Joe:

And apparently Trump’s Wharton grades are unknowable as well.

Nope:

https://halfwaypost.com/2019/11/15/wharton-finally-released-trumps-grades-fs-in-business-as-in-poetry/

“Donald Trump was a real dumbf***,” explained one of Trump’s Business professors, Dr. Walt Winters, 91. “I remember him vividly all these years later. His written essays about economics always clearly exhibited his not knowing anything. A real dunce. The chapter in the book about tariffs and trade wars he obviously didn’t understand. When I assigned the class a paper on what business they dreamed of starting, he wrote about how he’d start a beauty pageant to sneak in on the changing rooms. He actually wrote that in his paper. But I guess, to his credit, he did make that dream come true. But his test scores were always single digits. He could not seem to retain any facts. One time I remember very clearly he turned in an exam with a bunch of different doodles of breasts in the margins, and half the answers empty. But other times he’d turn in failing exams with strangely articulate poems on the back of pages that just made no sense juxtaposed with his otherwise clear lack of intellectual curiosity about anything covered in class.”

Trump’s poetry professor, Stephen Jacobs, 94, remembers Trump being surprisingly philosophical in his poetic submissions to Wharton’s annual english department poetry contest.

“I actually kept one of his poems all these years,” Jacobs said. “And boy does it sound weird today knowing how Donald Trump ran for president pandering to Christians. But prepare yourself, because I think it reveals facets of Donald Trump you would not expect. It’s got all kinds of nuances and subtleties, nothing like how he communicates today. It’s like he’s some kind of idiot savant when it comes to poetic journaling. He should have stuck with literature instead of business. And certainly not gone into politics, for America’s sake. Here, I’ll show you. I swear to God this is Donald Trump’s poem.”

Donald Trump wrote this when he was 21-years-old:

The Thing About Jesus

by Donald J. Trump, 1968

The thing about Jesus
is that he’s billed as the savior of all mankind
because he died on a cross as if it were some ultimate death
in sacrifice for our sins
but let’s be honest—
being crucified
as far as punishments go
isn’t really that bad—
like for sure it sucks

but

there are much worse ways to die than being nailed to a cross.
like prometheus of another mythology
who is chained to a mountain and every single day an eagle comes
and tears out his organs with its beak
and it has been happening for thousands of years
and it happened today and yesterday

and all throughout the 50s
and is going to happen tomorrow
and the day after
and so on forever.

In fact
to hype up Jesus’s torture and then stick with a measly cross
is merely unimaginative
and his suffering lasted several hours
though as far as historical crucifixions go
that’s nothing
for plenty of condemned Roman victims.

Beyond wood beams humans have invented worse
like cooking each other in bronze bulls
where the metal burns you
and adds insult to injury
while the sound of your screams makes music from a horn

so your death is entertaining for your torturers
as they sip their digestifs in the banquet room.
Being strangled is another crazy way to go out
maybe it’s shorter
but talk about an aggressive way for Jesus to die

rolling on the ground being strangled by Judas for sixteen minutes
until he passes out and then maybe gets his face and skull
stomped on for several minutes like the mob does.

Being drawn and quartered maybe sounds worse
torn to pieces for offense against the crown,
it wasn’t a very Jesusy kind of thing for medieval Christians to do.

Or wasting away through months of Nazi Auschwitz medical torture
and losing your mind waiting to die on wooden planks
with a bit of water and black bread until you waste away.

Or growing weak from cancer denied a health insurance claim
for your chemo dying for being poor
or drafting into a pointless and unwinnable war
in a country whose independence your occupation efforts are betraying
or getting captured and beheaded on live television
for committing crimes of journalism
or being chased through swampy woods for a week
somewhere deep in Louisiana
and beat and lynched for talking to a white woman.

What if Jesus had died of starvation slowly on the cold street
in a town whose charitable impulses
were banned with civic laws criminalizing feeding the homeless?

I guess I don’t know what I’m trying to get at
but perhaps we fetishize the suffering of our prophets
to ignore the suffering of the living.

“Aren’t you surprised?” asked Jacobs. “It truly blew my mind. I showed it to Trump’s business professors when he turned it in, and it floored them, too.”

Jacobs showed the poem to Professor Winters, who kept a copy as well.

“I wouldn’t have believed it, except I could see it was in Donald Trump’s distinctive handwriting,” Winters said. “Even back then he wrote everything with a sharpie, and, instead of taking notes during lectures, he would practice signing his signatures, which really distracted the class because he’d scribble it over and over quick and loudly, and every time he finished a notebook page full of signatures he’d tear it out, hold it up, and then circle his favorite ones. I was always having to tell him to pay attention, but he’d whine in front of the whole class that I was treating him unfairly by not giving him A’s, and that the school’s faculty was rigged against him. Like I said earlier, a total dumbf*** beyond his inexplicable poetic musings.”

Because "Jesusey" and "crimes of journalism."

So there.

[Loki]

Haha.

[George K]

Still lying.