international barging tours

School and Affinity Groups

Tours can be tailored to the special interests of groups dedicated to shared enthusiasms. We can bring our groups together with Europeans of like minds, introduce them into European versions of their own work spaces, allow them to find likenesses and differences of American and European outlook and method and aim. The barge provides an atmosphere open to conversational exchange and our visits to special places provide much to talk about.  

Bridge groups play ongoing games on board, combining that passion with sightseeing, and garden groups can enjoy the glories of tulip season but also, in visits to public and private gardens outside that season, discover that Holland’s horticultural skills are broader than that famous flower.

High school groups intent on practicing their French, their German or their Italian can do so in an atmosphere where the learning is natural and instruction is given on home ground.

Barge chefs are rightly admired, with one good meal succeeding another. Now and again, there are on-shore meals as well, and of course regular trips off the barge to visit the interesting towns and sights along our route.

*Prices below are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges and fees of $0, which are subject to change until final payment is made. All tour prices (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

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Burgundy Barging

With lyon and paris.

Once reserved only for royalty, the scenic canals of France now welcome travelers seeking intimate encounters with rural life. Aboard a privately chartered barge, we savor fine French food and wine, and new friends as we leisurely ply the waterways of the Rhone-Rhine and Burgundy canals. Combined with stays in Lyon and Paris, this tour embraces the good life, French style.

Tour Details

From $6,297

Small Group Highlights

• Six-night privately chartered barge cruise
• Lyon sightseeing
• Tour of Saline-Royale saltworks UNESCO site
• Informal atmosphere of barge cruising
• Wine and all bar drinks on board
• Opportunities to walk or bicycle along canals and through villages
• Rural French scenery
• Visit to charming town of Dole
• Remote village of Petit-Ouges
• Grand Crus wine route excursion and wine tasting
• Paris city tour including the Louvre
• Free time to explore Paris

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Hôtel Carlton Lyon sits in the heart of Lyon’s Presqu’île, the city’s bustling central peninsula set between the Rhône and Saône Rivers. This trendy district contains a multitude of cafés, restaurants, shops, museums, and entertainment options, and offers the perfect base from which to explore the city of Lyon. Housed in a lovely cream-colored stone building with wrought-iron railings, the hotel is decorated with upscale, red-accented furnishings and offers a luxe cozy bar/lounge, bicycles for rent, spa with massage service (for a fee), and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. All 80 air-conditioned guest rooms have private bath with hair dryer, tea- and coffee-making facilities, minibar, in-room safe, TV, and phone.

The 126-foot MS Jeanine provides a leisurely private cruising experience along the impossibly charming canals of Burgundy.  The barge’s bright blue and white exterior trim give way to a contemporary interior featuring a cozy lounge/bar and a restaurant with panoramic windows (both of which serve complimentary beer, wine, and cocktails throughout the cruise).  The Jeanine also offers two open-air spaces to relax and take in the scenery:  the sun deck, running along the top of the barge and offering loungers and parasols; and the barbecue deck, an open space at the bow with tables and chairs for enjoying a snack or drink.  Please note: The sun deck is only accessible when the barge is docked due to the low clearance of the canal’s bridges while cruising.  Other amenities include an outdoor Jacuzzi, a number of complimentary bicycles available to cycle alongside the canals, and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access.  Each of the 11 air-conditioned cabins is 97 square feet and includes an above-waterline window and private en-suite bathroom with stand-up shower.  While equipped with all necessary amenities, you may find the bathroom to be smaller than a standard hotel bathroom.

Due to the nature of barge travel, ships are built in a compact manner to navigate narrow canals and low bridges.  As such, ceilings on the barge are approximately two meters (6 feet, 6 inches) in height. There is also limited storage space inside cabins, and luggage will be stored underneath the beds, which have a maximum clearance of 15 ¾ inches.

Named for its most famous frequent guest, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Hôtel Edouard 7 is located in Paris’s Opera district, just two blocks from the Opera Garnier and less than 10 minutes’ walk from two famed department stores: Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. The hotel offers a classically elegant atmosphere that includes a restaurant, lounge, bar, fitness center, and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. After undergoing a recent renovation, Hôtel Edouard 7 now reflects the sensibilities of the fashionable king for which it was named, as each of the 69 air-conditioned guest rooms is outfitted with rich fabrics and designed around an individual color scheme. All guest rooms also have private bath with hair dryer, minibar, in-room safe, TV, and phone.

Tour Price Includes

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities
• 10 nights’ accommodations: 4 nights in Superior First Class hotels; 6 nights aboard First Class MS  Jeanine
• 23 meals: 10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 8 dinners
• Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
• Private 6-night barge cruise on the Rhone-Rhine and Burgundy canals
• Unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks at meals and at bar aboard barge
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private motorcoach transportation
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours)

Average Daily High by Month (°F )

Average temperature (°f ), dates & prices.

Airline upgrades (subject to availability; pricing subject to change) on round-trip Trans-Atlantic flight: Business Class – $3,795 per person; Premium Economy – $1,595 per person

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Post-Tour Extension

Paris – On Your Own

See more of this wondrous city on your own, at your own pace.

Post-Tour Extension Price Includes

• 2 nights’ accommodations at Hôtel Edouard 7 (Superior First Class)
• 2 meals: 2 breakfasts
• Transfer to Paris airport

Accommodations

Tour Directors

“Caroline’s sparkling personality, good humor, and wit made our tour extra-special: one of the best guides ever!”

Sallie & John Kingham Yardley, PA

“Balwinder went over and above in helping us. She recognized our needs without our asking! Extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to be with!”

Cynthia Mall Newman, CA

“Wow! A Renaissance Man. Very knowledgeable and very skillful with our diverse group. Patient and kind. Great sense of humor.”

Mildred & John Olson Moseley, VA

"Martin was warm, helpful, full of joy and energy. He shared an incredible amount of information easily…Truly a professional. Would love to do another tour with him!"

Christine George & Robert Ramsey Tacoma, WA

Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director

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Physical Activity Level

• Walk 1-2 miles per day, often uphill, on uneven terrain, or cobblestones
• Embarkation/disembarkation of barge
• No elevator on barge between main deck and cabins, which are located on the lower deck

Destinations

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Create Memorable experiences

Our mission.

Let us nurture your love for travel to rich cultural destinations with people who share your passion.  

Our small group tours explore unique locations, museums, and local treasures with experienced guides. 

When combined with a plein air painting tour,  experience creating art with an award winning artist in locations that will inspire you with their beauty and cultural heritage. 

Testimonials

“ What a wonderful new perspective for travel to France to become a passenger on a river barge. Gliding through the center of the country was a unique experience. With each stop we visited a village or town rich with history, walking in the same footsteps where Barbizon artists lived and created their art. 

Our Travel Partners

Odysseys Unlimited designs escorted cultural tours specifically for small groups of just 12-24 guests which allows for greater flexibility with spontaneous and rich encounters.  .

International Barging Tours is the most recent venture from Frank Behrendt and the experienced staff who oversee International Bicycle Tours, Inc., in operation since 1976 and expanded to include Nordic Walking since 2007.

Partial list of Previous tours:

Undiscovered Southern Italy – From Puglia to Calabria

Painting & Barging in Holland with Robert Masla

Across Northern Spain & Portugal

Painting in Toledo, Spain with artist David Dunlop

Norwegian Splendor – Denmark & Sweden!

Painting & Bargin g in Italy with Robert Carsten

Painting & Barging in France with Lisa Regopoulos

Provincial French Countryside

Deals of the Week   Mediterranean Magic   Up to 50% OFF

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WE'RE RETIRED! BargesInFrance.com is now retired after 26 wonderful years having had the joy of working with thousands of clients to make the barge travel dream come true! Thank you all for more than a quarter-century of sharing our passion with you about this one-of-a-kind barge cruise experience! If you've already cruised, you know how magical the experience is! If you haven't cruised aboard a luxury hotel barge in France, Holland, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, or Germany, you owe it to yourself to explore this unique and fabulous way to celebrate life, friends, cuisine, wines, special excursions, and wonderful crew. If you haven't done this -- put it on your "bucket list"! Cheers! Don Dillin, Sally Dillin

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Bike and Barge | The Netherlands to Belgium

Tour overview.

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What's Included

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Tour start | end: Amsterdam, The Netherlands / Bruges, Belgium Amsterdam, The Netherlands / Bruges, Belgium Length: 8 Days / 7 Nights Rating: Easy

• E-Bikes Available

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Bike and Barge: Amsterdam, Holland to Bruges, Belgium

Get ready for an incredible adventure on the Amsterdam-Bruges bike and barge tour! This trip explores Holland and Belgium’s stunning cities while cruising along picturesque waterways. It’s a relatively easy-rated trip suitable for cyclists of all levels.

As we sail to the western Flanders region of Belgium, you’ll discover its rich history and indulge in its renowned cuisine and beer. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore Bruges’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic center, a true gem. Get to unpack your bags just once and then kick back and relax in the comfort of your floating home on your upper deck rooms or upgrade to an upper deck suite (New for 2025!). Picture yourself lounging in a comfortable lounge area, enjoying delicious meals prepped by your ship’s chef, all while taking in the breathtaking scenery that gracefully glides past you from the splendid sundeck.

Special note: Please mention dietary needs (vegetarian meals, lactose intolerance, or gluten-free diet) when booking this trip. Unfortunately, we cannot offer vegan meals on this trip. The kitchen on the ship is not large enough to guarantee vegan meals.

Bike and Barge Tours

Europe Bike Tours

Check-in between 1 PM and 2 PM local time in Amsterdam, where the friendly crew will warmly welcome you on board the boat. Once you are settled, the boat will set sail from Amsterdam towards the first destination, Vianen. Welcome dinner on board tonight.

After breakfast, our ride starts on a scenic cycle route leading to Schoonhoven, known as "Zilverstad" or "Silver City." This city is renowned for its talented silver smiths since the 17th century. Continue riding to the Alblasserwaard region and the village of Kinderdijk - famous for its impressive row of 19 giant windmills, and part of the UNESCO cultural heritage listing. After, we take you on a "Waterbus," a fast ferry accommodating bicycles, to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands.

After breakfast, the we sail to the picturesque town of Tholen, where you start riding. Cycle through the scenic and refreshing backdrop of "Wouwse Plantage" forest. During the ride, you will come across the impressive Kreekrak lock. The lock is a part of the waterway system and is an engineering marvel that aids in regulating water levels and facilitating smooth passage for boats and ships. Once you get back on the boat, we sail to the vibrant and historically significant port city of Antwerp, in Belgium on the river Schelde. After dinner on board, you'll have the opportunity to venture out and explore Antwerp's beautiful old city center. The historic streets, charming architecture, and lively atmosphere make it a delightful place to wander and soak in the city's ambiance.

Cycle this morning out of Antwerp on a beautiful cycle path along the picturesque tidal Schelde River to Dendermonde, our home for the night. The Schelde River is tidal, and the tidal characteristic adds a unique dynamic to the landscape, creating ever-changing vistas along the riverbanks. It is, without a doubt, one of the natural highlights of the tour.

Today we follow the river Schelde to the lively and historically rich university city of Ghent. Ghent has a long and significant history of a major trading port since Roman times. The city boasts numerous cultural attractions, including an Opera House, 18 museums, more than 100 churches, and over 400 historical buildings. One of the significant highlights in Ghent is the St. Bavo Cathedral, which houses several masterpieces of medieval art, including the world-famous 'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb' by Jan van Eyck. After a day of cycling along the river and exploring the city's cultural treasures, the ship will moor for the night at a lock in a suburb of Ghent, allowing you further to immerse yourself in the city's vibrant atmosphere and explore more of its highlights during the evening.

Today's route takes you through the picturesque Flemish countryside of western Flanders, leading you to the enchanting city of Bruges, often called the 'Venice of the North.' Its UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic center is a remarkable example of a medieval settlement that has preserved its original Gothic constructions, creating a unique and captivating ambiance. During your stay in Bruges, you'll have the opportunity to explore the city's many attractions. Tonight, join Sojourn leaders and your fellow Sojourn guests for a Sojourn Farewell dinner in Bruges.

You'll start the day's ride along a quiet canal, surrounded by beautiful poplar trees and a charming polder landscape. A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments, and this area is dotted with small farmhouses, adding to the scenic beauty of the region. As you continue cycling, you'll reach the North Sea coast where you can relax and enjoy the inviting sandy beach before riding back to Bruges along a scenic canal. Tonight gather for the Captain's farewell dinner on the ship.

After breakfast , disembark in Bruges around 9:30 AM.

Lodging Information

Distinctive lodging, carefully selected to complement your tour..

River Cruiser De Holland

The cozy river cruiser De Holland is a 66 passenger ship with 33 cabins. The large salon on the upper deck, with panoramic windows around, you will find the restaurant, bar and lounge area. This is a great spot for some serious relaxing, drinking and eating after a day on the pedals.

• Support of experienced Sojourn leaders.
• Custom Sojourn jersey, Sojourn Slig backpack, and water bottles -yours to keep.
• Seven nights on board the boat with superior upper deck private cabins and bathrooms.
• In 2025, you can upgrade to an upper-level Suite for an additional $400.
•  This includes all Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, and all Dinners.
• Touring bikes with straight handlebars, seven Shimano speeds, and roller brakes. They also have a low instep. They are fitted with Schwalbe puncture-resistant tires and flat pedals.
• A limited number of Electric Assist or E-bikes are also available. Request while booking.
• Daily route directions, maps, and a downloadable GPS Option.
• 5% Past Traveler Discount to use on your next Sojourn Tour for the next two years after your trip.

When in The Netherlands and Belgium, it helps to know...

• United States and Canadian citizens do not require a visa to enter The Netherlands or Belgium for tourism or business stays under ninety (90) days. Here are more details.
• The trip starts in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and ends in Bruges, Belgium.
• Sojourn Leaders will support this trip with a support van.
• Distances in the itinerary are subject to change.
• Some days, you can choose between a longer and a shorter cycling route. Please note that on the shorter routes, you may be unable to visit all the highlights mentioned.
• If you prefer not to cycle on a particular day, you can stay on board and relax while the ship cruises to the next port.
• The tour itinerary and route are subject to changes due to nautical, technical, or meteorological reasons or other unforeseen events.
• All cabins (your hotel room aboard) have their private bathroom with a shower, toilet, and washbasin. Cabins are usually twin cabins: they nearly always have two single beds, some of which can be assembled to make it a queen bed.
• In 2025, all rooms will be on the upper deck. You can upgrade to a suite for an additional $400. Please book early since we have limited suite availability.
• Please mention dietary needs during booking (e.g., vegetarian meals, lactose intolerance, or gluten-free diet). Unfortunately, we cannot offer vegan meals on this trip. The ship’s kitchen is not large enough to guarantee vegan meals.
• Remember that there is limited space on board and that wardrobes are small.
• There is Wi-Fi available on the ship.
• On the embarkation day, you can leave your luggage on board the ship from 11.00 am.
• You disembark in Bruges, Belgium, at the end of the trip around 9:30 a.m. Please do not book a flight before 2:30 p.m. on the same day.
• Most of the locals, including the ship crew, do speak English.

Private Trips

Reserve one of our regularly scheduled trip dates for your private group and qualify for reduced pricing. The larger your group, the lower the per person price. Gather your friends and we’ll do the rest to provide your group with a truly personalized and memorable vacation. Smaller groups can join published trips and receive reduced pricing on trips that aren’t reserved as private trip dates.

For groups of 12-15 people traveling together on a published tour date, a discount of 8% on the double occupancy trip price will apply.

For groups of 8-11 people traveling together on a published date, a discount of 6% on the double occupancy trip price will apply.

Group discounts may not be combined with other offers.

John McHale

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International Bicycle Tours

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90 N Main St

Essex, CT 06426

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International Bicycle & Barging Tours provides cycling and barging tours around the world. …

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The website starts off by telling you that International Bicycling Tours is different because they meet you at the airport...they do NOT. (alternative truth). $100 Lyft ride and 2 hours to get to the first venue. The IBT corner and sweep system is just a cheap trick so they don't have hire people to do it properly. The accommodations were mediocre at best, the first B&B was charming but uncomfortable. The second was a nice hotel at the airport, like right across the street and the planes were flying all night. Very noisy... The rental bikes provided were old and in disrepair. Mechanical problems ranged from brakes and chains failing to one man's handlebars slipping off. There was only one tour guide and he was very unprofessional. He knew practically nothing about the area and led us into a very dangerous situation which was avoidable. I did have one of the best prime ribs at dinner one night. The other bright spot were the people I was with, a Meet-up group from Tampa. Everything IBT did was to save money but the tour was quite expensive. I am doing a 5-day in Key West at about half the cost. If I were doing it again, I would do a little research and book my own. The area is beautiful and it would be hard to screw up a tour...but IBT did it.

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International Biking Tours

We handle the details….

You’re met at the airport, so no hassle in finding the first hotel. When you’re on the move, on the bike, a sag wagon transports luggage from place to place and provides emergency backup if needed. Small, family-run hotels are the usual accommodation, in towns or villages where the regional cuisine dominates the menu and local wines or beers are easily at hand.

On the bike…

IBT never hands you a map and says “see you later!” All bike tours are led by guides who know the country, know the language, and can fix your flat in a jiffy. You bike as a group, with the guide in the lead and an appointed “sweep” bringing up the rear. IBT’s unique Corner System ensures no one gets lost.

IBT provides the bicycles…

We use hybrid 7 to 21 speed bikes depending on the terrain to be covered. Handlebars are upright – we’re not setting speed records here – and each bike has a rack over the rear tire for the rider’s personal items. For those folks who may not be in the greatest of shape, regardless of age, e-bikes are available on all tours at a supplemental cost that can make bicycling much easier. Tours are rated as Easy (level terrain), Moderate (both level terrain and rolling hills), Challenging (mostly rolling hills). A usual day is 25 to 38 miles, traversed at moderate speeds with frequent stops so that slower bikers (including indefatigable photographers) may catch up. Every biker also receives an IBT t-shirt, enhanced with the name of the tour and the IBT logo.

Every day is different…

Local sights (we provide the entrance fees) can range from chateaux to windmills to historic locations, depending on the particular country we’re exploring.  A non-biking day might include a lecture about the area or simply the opportunity to explore the delightful town in which we’ve spent the night.  Biking days are pleasantly interrupted by stops for sightseeing. We start in the fresh air of the morning, take a lunch break en route to the next destination, or perhaps pick up supplies to picnic. A morning coffee stop and afternoon ice cream stop happen most days. All breakfasts and dinners are included.

IBT’s hallmarks are safety and maximum value…

with the best prices in the business. Participants of all ages and expertise have taken part since its founding in 1976, some of them again and again. In addition to tours planned that any cyclist can enjoy, we offer advanced itineraries to challenge experienced riders and are pleased to individualize special trips for groups of families and friends.

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Biden Loves to Tell Tall Tales. We Cut Them Down to Size.

By President Biden’s account, he was a fierce civil rights activist in his youth, had an uncle who fell prey to cannibals and used to drive an 18-wheeler.

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By Linda Qiu

Reporting from Washington

In President Biden’s telling, he was a teenage civil rights activist, a former trucker, the first in his family to go to college and the nephew of a cannibalism victim.

All of these claims stretch the truth or are downright false. But Mr. Biden persists in telling personal tales with rhetorical flourishes and factual liberty when he works a room or regales an audience. They are a way to connect with voters, emphasize his “middle-class Joe” persona and charm his audience.

Despite Mr. Biden’s penchant for exaggerating details when recounting episodes from his life, these autobiographical embellishments differ in scale and significance from the stream of lies about a stolen election peddled by his opponent, former President Donald J. Trump.

A White House spokesman, Andrew Bates, said that Mr. Biden had “brought honesty and integrity back to the White House” and that he shared life experiences that had shaped his outlook.

Here are some of the president’s most repeated yarns.

Connecting with his audience through hyperbole

What Was Said

“In our last debate, when I was 29 years old, the first question he was asked at the debate was, ‘Do you have any regrets, Senator Boggs?’ And he said, ‘No.’ Then we came to the very end of the debate, where I spoke and then he was to conclude. He stood up, and he said, ‘You know, I was asked if I had any regrets. I said no, but I have one: Had Joe Biden gone to the Naval Academy when I appointed him, he’d still have seven months left on and wouldn’t be able to run.’” — in a May commencement speech at the United States Military Academy

Mr. Biden has repeatedly recounted this tale to graduating cadets at various military academies and to families of service members: In high school in the 1960s, he had been nominated to attend the United States Naval Academy by Senator J. Caleb Boggs of Delaware, his Republican opponent in his first Senate race. Mr. Boggs, Mr. Biden sometimes adds, later lamented that Mr. Biden had declined to accept the nomination in a 1972 debate. It is an anecdote that dates as far back as 2010, when Mr. Biden said in a speech that Mr. Boggs had “considered” him for the academy.

It is possible that this nomination occurred, but The New York Times could not verify Mr. Biden’s claim.

The academy does not have any records of Mr. Biden receiving a nomination or an appointment, said a spokeswoman, Ashley Hockycko, but it does not possess preliminary applications or requests made to congressional offices.

Mr. Boggs started his first term as senator in January 1961. If the current deadline is any indication, members of Congress have until Jan. 31 to submit nominations to the Naval Academy. Mr. Biden graduated from high school that June and began his first semester at the University of Delaware that fall. The Delaware Historical Society, which houses Mr. Boggs’s Senate records, could find only his nominations to the Naval Academy from 1962. Mr. Biden’s name was not on that list.

Similarly, The Times was unable to verify Mr. Biden’s retelling of that 1972 debate. Newspaper articles detailing debates and events attended by Mr. Biden and Mr. Boggs in September and October of that year did not mention any questions about regrets or the nomination. In his 2007 autobiography, “Promises to Keep,” Mr. Biden wrote of only one debate, and did not include any reference to the nomination.

It is also unclear what Mr. Boggs, in Mr. Biden’s telling, could have meant by suggesting Mr. Biden would have still been committed to the academy or the armed services for another seven months. Midshipmen at the Naval Academy attend for four years and serve for at least five years in the Navy or Marines after graduation. Had Mr. Biden attended the academy instead of the University of Delaware in 1961, he would have still been able to run against Mr. Boggs in 1972.

What WAS Said

“I used to drive an 18-wheeler.” — at an April campaign event in Florida

Mr. Biden often repeats this claim when attending events with union members. The White House cited Mr. Biden’s job driving a school bus during law school. In the 1970s, he also took a 500-mile trip as a senator on a cargo truck.

“As a matter of fact, the first organization I ever joined was the N.A.A.C.P. Didn’t get to vote until you were 21 in those days, but I got involved in civil rights when I was 15.” — at an N.A.A.C.P. event in Michigan in May

“She said, ‘Remember when they were desegregating Lynnfield, the neighborhood? It was 70 homes, built, suburbia. And I told you there was a Black family moving in, and people were down there protesting. I told you not to go down there. And you went down, remember that? And you got arrested, standing on the porch with a Black family.’” — in an interview with Howard Stern in April

For decades, Mr. Biden has occasionally suggested that he played a greater role in the civil rights movement than he actually did. While there is corroboration of Mr. Biden’s participation in a few desegregation events, he has also said he would not consider himself an activist in the movement. There is no evidence that he was ever arrested.

The White House said that there are countless moments in any person’s life that local newspapers opt not to cover and that Mr. Biden was proud to have stood up against segregation in his youth.

The Washington Post detailed several other instances of the anecdote Mr. Biden is relaying, through his mother, of his arrest as a teenager while protesting for civil rights. In some cases, Mr. Biden has said he was 13 or that the police brought him home.

Local newspapers reported that in spring 1959, when Mr. Biden was 16, a Black family moved into an all-white neighborhood in Wilmington, prompting residents to protest against integration. Police officers described the demonstrators as a mob, some armed with fire bombs, and arrested seven people, including four teenagers for possessing fireworks . (The house was bombed and destroyed later that year.)

Mr. Biden joined the N.A.A.C.P. during his first political race for New Castle County Council in 1970, when he was in his late 20s, according to a 2019 Washington Post article that included an interview with the former president of the Delaware N.A.A.C.P.

Highlighting and exaggerating his middle-class roots

“I’m the first in my family ever to go to college.” — at a May campaign event in Detroit

Mr. Biden described his maternal grandfather, Ambrose Finnegan Sr., as the “only person in the house with a college degree” in his 2007 autobiography. According to Mr. Finnegan’s 1957 obituary , he attended and played football for Santa Clara College in California. Mr. Biden has previously said that he was the first on the Biden side of the family to go to college.

“Under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 will pay an additional penny. I hope you’re all able to make $400,000. I never did.” — at an April campaign event in Pennsylvania

“She said, ‘Did you read today’s paper?’ I said, ‘They don’t have today’s paper — Wilmington paper, Delaware — where I’m with Leahy up in Vermont. And she said, ‘Well, let me read it. Top of the fold, headline, Biden, poorest man in Congress.’” — at a March campaign event in Nevada

For much of his political career, Mr. Biden was among the least wealthy members of Congress. With a net worth of negative $166,500, Mr. Biden was listed by the newspaper Roll Call as the poorest member in 1990, the first year it began compiling net worth rankings. (The News Journal, based in Wilmington, reported the ranking on page 33, not the front page.)

He continued to rank near the bottom for net worth throughout his decades-long career in the Senate. According to Mr. Biden’s tax returns , he and his wife, Jill, earned less than $400,000 almost every year from 1998 to 2016. But they earned more than $400,000 in 2013 and in every year since 2017, ranging from $408,733 in 2013 to more than $11 million in 2017. (The president’s yearly salary, under federal law, is $400,000.)

Stories too good to be true

“Ambrose Finnegan — we called him Uncle Bosie — he was shot down. He was Army Air Corps before there was an Air Force. He flew single engine planes, reconnaissance flights over New Guinea. He had volunteered because someone couldn’t make it. He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time.” — in remarks to reporters in April

In his 2007 autobiography, Mr. Biden wrote that he often heard family lore about his hero uncle, Ambrose Finnegan Jr., who was a pilot during World War II. But his suggestion that Mr. Finnegan was shot down and cannibalized in New Guinea is not supported by military records or anthropologists.

According to the agency of the Pentagon that accounts for the missing or those taken prisoner during war, Mr. Finnegan, a second lieutenant, was a passenger on an aircraft that crashed into the ocean on the north coast of New Guinea in May 1944 after its engines failed. Three men, including Mr. Biden’s uncle, were lost in the crash while a fourth was rescued by a passing barge. There are no indications that the plane was shot down or that Mr. Finnegan was flying the plane.

Mr. Finnegan would have been an unlikely victim of cannibalism in New Guinea, anthropologists and locals told PolitiFact and The Guardian. Studies of cannibalism in the country have noted that victims tended to be enemies from warring tribes as an act of revenge or deceased relatives as part of a mourning ritual.

Mr. Biden shared his account of Mr. Finnegan’s death after visiting a war memorial in Scranton, Pa., that bore his uncle’s name. The story was meant to highlight Mr. Biden’s commitment to equipping troops and honoring veterans, the White House said.

“I was getting on the train, and one of the senior guys at Amtrak — I became friends with all of them after all the years, and I’ve ridden 36 years as a senator — and he comes up to me — his name is Angelo — and he comes over and says, ‘Joey, baby!’ He grabs my cheek, and I thought they were going to shoot him. And I said, ‘Ang, what’s the matter?’ He said, ‘I just read in the newspaper’ — because they keep meticulous mileage about how many times you — how many miles you use an aircraft for the United States Air Force as vice president. ‘I just read in the paper, Joey, you traveled 1,200,000 miles on Air Force Two.’” — in a speech in Nevada in December

This story, as told, stretches credulity. Mr. Biden logged 1.2 million miles on Air Force Two in early 2016, according to himself . Angelo Negri, the conductor, retired from Amtrak in 1993 and died in 2014. It is possible that Mr. Biden mistook another conductor for Mr. Negri: He recounted in 2009 speaking with an unnamed Amtrak employee, who also called out to him, “Joey, baby.”

Linda Qiu is a reporter who specializes in fact-checking statements made by politicians and public figures. She has been reporting and fact-checking public figures for nearly a decade. More about Linda Qiu

Our Coverage of the 2024 Election

Presidential Race: News and Analysis

The makeup of the 2024 election has felt inevitable from the start — with one notable exception: Donald Trump’s choice of a running mate. “The Daily” explains why Trump’s requirements in a No. 2 are very different this time .

Trump’s upcoming trip to Washington, where he will meet with senators, House members and business leaders, shows how a wary Republican establishment has accepted his possible return to power .

President Biden has given up hope that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates several times before the election. But the chances of at least one pre-election cut  appeared to be helped by a new inflation report.

Key Senate Races : Senate Democrats are outperforming Biden in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan and Arizona. Here’s why .

Courting Black Men : Republicans are making a push to win over Black men , a key part of the Democratic base that has shown openness to voting for Trump.

The Quiet Voice in R.F.K. Jr.’s Ear : Jay Carson spent years as a Democratic insider. Disillusioned, he left politics for Hollywood and became friends with Kennedy — whose campaign he is now helping to steer .

Election latest: Nigel Farage declares Reform 'the opposition to Labour' as it overtakes Tories for first time in new poll

Reform UK has overtaken the Tories for the first time in a new YouGov poll carried out for The Times newspaper. Nigel Farage has seized on the survey to declare his party "the opposition to Labour".

Friday 14 June 2024 07:09, UK

• General Election 2024
• Farage says Reform UK now 'the opposition to Labour' as party overtakes Tories in poll
• Jon Craig:  Tories' war with Reform is a fight to the death over the future of the centre-right
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Nigel Farage couldn't have hoped for better news as he strode on to the stage to debate on TV against Penny Mordaunt, Angela Rayner and rivals from the smaller opposition parties.

The dramatic news his Reform UK party has overtaken the Conservatives in the latest YouGov poll, on 19% to the Tories' 18%, meant he had his trademark letter box grin on his face for virtually the whole debate.

He began by declaring in his opening remarks: "We are now the opposition to Labour."

And he ended by boasting: "I have the courage to take on the mob. Please join the revolt."

Throughout the debate, Mr Farage had a jaunty swagger about him.

He laughed and scoffed at the anti-Brexit SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who was standing next to him, and appeared to relish being in a minority of one against the other smaller parties on Brexit and immigration.

The other story of this debate was round two of the bruising battle between Penny Mordaunt and Angela Rayner over Labour's tax plans, while Ms Mordaunt conspicuously left Mr Farage alone and even engaged in some political flirting with him.

Read Jon's full analysis here:

Nigel Farage has declared Reform UK "the opposition to Labour" after his party overtook the Tories for the first time in a new poll.

In a fresh blow to embattled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a survey by YouGov for The Times put Reform UK at 19%, compared to the Conservatives at 18%.

The results came out moments before an ITV debate between senior figures in the seven main parties.

Mr Farage wasted no time in gloating about the poll, saying in his opening statement: "Just before we came on air we overtook the Conservatives in the national opinion polls.

"We are now the opposition to Labour."

In a flip of Conservative campaign rhetoric, he also claimed that voting for the Tories over Reform would enable a Labour government.

Read more from our political reporter Faye Brown  here:

Good morning!

It's day 23 of the general election campaign, and this time in three weeks, we could be waking up to a very clear picture of who will be running the country for the next five years.

But there's a still a long way to go until polling day. After manifesto launches this week, today is slightly less intense.

Plenty going on, however - here's what's making the headlines:

• Nigel Farage  has declared Reform UK  "the opposition to Labour" after a poll showed that the insurgent right-wing party has overtaken the Conservative Party ;
• Speaking in a multi-party ITV debate last night, Mr Farage attacked senior Tory Penny Mordaunt on her party's record, and as a result of this new poll, declared that a "vote for you is actually now a vote for Labour";
• The Sky News Poll Tracker , which takes the most recent poll from each pollster active in the last 28 days to average out where each party sits, shows support for the Tories continuing to fall;
• But it also shows that Labour's support has slipped a couple of points over the last 10 days or so;
• Speaking of the official opposition - the party is continuing to hammer the message of economic stability with them, with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves  expected to be out and about today;
• Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting  is promoting Labour's plan to tackle ill mental health and get people back into the labour market, and he will visit a men's mental health charity today;
• The Conservative campaign is taking a back seat again today to the G7 summit in Italy, which Rishi Sunak is attending;
• We are expecting to hear from his loyal deputies, however, as the Tories continue to attack Labour's economic plans, particularly in the wake of their manifesto launch yesterday;
• Lib Dem  deputy leader Daisy Cooper will be out on the campaign trail promoting her party's National Food Strategy, committing an extra £1bn to the farming budget as they continue to try to appeal to rural and traditional Tory voters;
• We are also expecting to see the SNP  deputy leader Keith Brown  on the campaign trail, promoting their campaign to ensure all Scotland national team games can air free on terrestrial TV.

We'll be discussing all of that and more with:

• Bim Afolami , Treasury minister, at 7.15am ;
• Delyth Jewell , deputy leader of Plaid Cymru, at 7.30am ;
• Wes Streeting , shadow health secretary, at 8.10am .

Follow along for live coverage of the general election campaign throughout the day.

Thanks for joining us on another manifesto packed day!

Unveiling his party's manifesto, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was offering a "credible" long-term plan to "rebuild our country" if Labour win the election on 4 July.

In an interview  with Sky's political editor  Beth Rigby , he said he "rejects the argument" tax rises are required to rebuild public services - as he insisted there will be "no return to austerity" under a Labour government.

We also saw Plaid Cymru launch its manifesto today, which had "fair funding" in Wales at its core.

To get an overview of how the party manifestos are shaping up so far, head over to our manifesto checker here:

And then there was a landmark poll to end the evening. Reform UK has overtaken the Conservatives for the first time, according to a YouGov poll for The Times. 

Will Jennings, Sky polling analyst, says the poll "represents a moment of huge danger to the Conservatives".

We are are now pausing coverage for the evening. Join us on the campaign trail again in the morning. Goodnight!

The dramatic news that his Reform UK party has overtaken the Conservatives in the latest YouGov poll, on 19% to the Tories' 18%, meant he had his trademark letter box grin on his face for virtually the whole debate.

He began by declaring in his opening remarks: "We are now the opposition to Labour!" And he ended by boasting: "I have the courage to take on the mob. Please join the revolt."

Throughout the debate, Mr Farage had a jaunty swagger about him. He laughed and scoffed at the anti-Brexit SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who was standing next to him, and appeared to relish being in a minority of one against the other smaller parties on Brexit and immigration.

The other story of this debate was round two of the bruising battle between Penny Mordaunt and Angela Rayner over Labour's tax plans, while Ms Mordaunt conspicuously left Mr Farage alone and even engaged in some political flirting with him. Why could that possibly have been?

The Commons leader was relentless in her tax onslaught on Labour, from start to finish. But Labour's deputy leader stood her ground and resolutely stuck to the Starmer-Reeves script, even when Ms Mordaunt issued a direct challenge on whether Labour would raise capital gains tax.

It was not in the Labour manifesto, Ms Rayner insisted, repeating Sir Keir's mantra from earlier in the day. That wasn't not a no, then, Ms Mordaunt replied. Once again, as in last week's first TV clash between the pair, in her tax attack on Labour she was like a stuck record – but it may stick.

But while Ms Mordaunt tore into Ms Rayner relentlessly, she uttered not a word of criticism of Mr Farage. It looked like an indication that the Tories are terrified of him and that the party leadership may eventually buckle and do a deal with him before 4 July.

When it was her turn to ask an opponent a question, after Ms Mordaunt had challenged her on capital gains tax, Labour's deputy leader tackled her: "Would you welcome Nigel Farage into the Conservative Party?"

It was a firecracker of a question and one which the Tory cabinet minister answered so deftly and equivocally that she appeared to be engaging in cosying up to the Reform UK leader – politically speaking, of course! - rather than giving him the cold shoulder.

She told the audience that like Mr Farage she was a Brexiteer and she believed that if you couldn't reform European institutions you should be prepared to leave them. Oh!

That, of course, was a reference to quitting the European Convention of Human Rights, which Tory right-wingers are demanding, and a clear courting of support from Tory MPs in a future leadership bid. Shameless, her Tory critics will complain.

But then she declared: "Nigel is a Labour enabler." Yes, that's the official Tory line, but it wasn't exactly a savage put-down. Note, too, that she called him "Nigel" and not Mr Farage.

Never has a rebuff been delivered with such good grace. She's on leadership manoeuvres, make no mistake. Just like last week, when she said Rishi Sunak was "completely wrong" to leave the D-Day ceremony in Normandy early.

In a peroration towards the end, Mr Farage dismissed Labour and the Conservatives as "mushy SDP parties in the middle", condemned the House of Lords as "an abomination" and a "complete disgrace" because it's full of party donors and backed electoral reform.

It was his night, thanks to the opinion poll. The battle for Number 10 may be a fight between the Conservatives and Labour. But the Tories' war with Reform UK is a fight to the death over the future of the centre-right in British politics.

And, if Mr Farage is correct, it's a battle to become the official opposition to a Labour government after the election on 4 July.

Let's party like it's 1997. That could be the message from Labour's 2024 general election.

Back in '97, the front cover of Labour's manifesto showed a full-page photo of a mean and moody-looking Tony Blair.

The title then was "New Labour, because Britain deserves better" and the campaign song was D-Ream's Things Can Only Get Better.

This year, after 14 years of Conservative rule under five prime ministers, Labour's manifesto has a one-word title - "Change".

But the photo on the front is straight out of the 1997 New Labour playbook: Sir Keir, jacket off, sleeves rolled up, serious - stern, even. Very Tony Blair.

Sir Keir is no Tony Blair, of course. Some Labour veterans compare him to Mr Blair's predecessor, another lawyer, the late John Smith.

And at last week's seven-way election debate including the smaller parties, Nigel Farage dismissed Sir Keir as "Blair without the flair".

Indeed, there's nothing flashy about the contents of the 133-page 2024 manifesto. No big surprises. No big controversies either.

Read more here:

It was Labour's turn to launch its election manifesto today. It was a restatement of the party's main policies, with no surprise announcements in the 133-page document.

Sir Keir Starmer reiterated his key pledges including no new taxes on "working people" and a promise of "economic stability".

Niall Paterson digs into Labour's promise of economic growth with Ed Conway , Sky's economics and data editor , and speaks to political correspondent Serena Barker-Singh , who was at the launch in Manchester.

Plus, John McTernan, political strategist and former political secretary to Tony Blair, discusses the politics of their manifesto and whether it matters that there were no new announcements.

👉 Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts 👈

By  Jon Craig , chief political correspondent

Man of the moment Nigel Farage dismisses Labour and the Conservatives as "mushy SDP". 

He says the House of Lords is an "abomination" full of party donors and he wants electoral reform and more referendums. "Scotland?" says Stephen Flynn.

This debate has been fought against the backdrop of the bombshell poll minutes before it began showing Mr Farage's Reform UK ahead of the Conservatives for the first time.

It's a massive turning point in the campaign and Penny Mordaunt's failure to attack Mr Farage during the debate and her apparent flirting with him when Angela Rayner asks if she'd welcome him into the Tory party was highly significant.

Penny Mordaunt has been like a stuck record with her attacks on Labour on tax. But she has indeed stuck at it relentlessly - and perhaps the message will stick.

In the final speeches, Angela Rayner makes a powerful appeal for Labour votes. But Mr Farage then ends as he began with his opinion poll breakthrough, declaring: "I have the courage to take on the mob. Please join the revolt".

The best clash between Penny Mordaunt and Angela Rayner comes when the debaters get the chance to ask an opponent a question.

No surprise, then, that Penny tackles Angela on tax, specifically challenging her to rule out Labour increasing capital gains tax if Labour wins the election.

Labour's deputy leader dutifully sticks to the Starmer-Reeves script: It's not in the Labour manifesto, she says. 

Not a no, says Ms Mordaunt.

Then Ms Rayner asks Ms Mordaunt a belter, taunting her: "Would you welcome Nigel Farage into the Conservative Party?"

Her reply is that Mr Farage is a "Labour enabler", but she doesn't actually say No and again she talks about what she and the Reform leader agree about and not what they disagree on.

Penny and Nigel in a bit of political flirting?

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