A prominent black journalist has expressed extreme skepticism about a story Joe Biden told, in which the former vice president said he stood up to a local gang leader at a swimming pool in 1962.
Biden has regaled audiences with parts of the story several times, which he claims took place when he was a lifeguard at a predominantly black pool in Wilmington, Delaware. He remembers how when he kicked a local gang leader named “Corn Pop” out of the pool for violating the rules, Biden was warned that Corn Pop was going to be waiting for him after work with a switchblade.
Biden said he prepared himself by wrapping a metal chain around his arm. Corn Pop was waiting by Biden’s car “with three guys and straight razors. Not a joke.”
“And I looked at him, but I was smart then, I said first of all, I said when I tell you to get off the board you get off the board, and I’ll kick you out again, but I shouldn’t have called you Esther Williams, I apologize for that,” Biden said, revealing Corn Pop was stunned by the apology and decided to not attack him.
Michael Harriot, a writer for the Root, said via Twitter that Biden’s story was not believable.
So, that summer, Biden was the only white lifeguard at Prices Run swimming pool in Brown-Burton Winchester Park. He says he did it—y’all, I SWEAR this is true—”in hopes of learning more about the black community.”
Yes, that’s an actual quote.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Now I don’t know how it works where you live, but in my hood, you don’t actually get a laminated street credential card from the neighborhood thug council but, then again, I’ve never been on the mean streets of Wilmington.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Parts of Biden’s story have been corroborated by some of the people who frequented the pool. Former state NAACP President Richard “Mouse” Smith said Corn Pop was the leader of the Romans gang and had threatened Biden. Smith said Biden “stood his ground” against Corn Pop after he threatened to “cut him.”
