One African American journalist is highly critical of a story Joe Biden has told over the years, where the aging vice president said he stood up to a switch blade-wielding black gang leader in the early 1960s.
The Washington Examiner further reports:
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.
Harriot’s thread is definitely worth a look.
WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
Thread: I’m always astounded by the imaginings of white people as it relates to race. Many of them have this fictionalized jigaboo version that is almost alien-like. And one of the greatest examples of this ever is Joe Biden’s story about Corn Pop the gangsta.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Now it has already been demonstrably proven that Biden will make stuff up. But any black person who hears this story will automatically give you the side-eye and says: “nigga please.”
It begins when Biden was working as a lifeguard at a pool.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Now Biden is like, 176 years old, but he’s still in pretty good shape. This supposedly happened in the summer of 1962.
Biden says that, instead of hanging out all summer, he decided to take a job working as a lifeguard at a black pool.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
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
Biden says that he became popular at the pool because many of the black people in Wilmington, DE had never talked to a white person before.
This raised by bullshit-o-meter, so I decided to look it up. In 1960, Wilmington was 73% white, according to census records pic.twitter.com/pWhlPVagbO
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Anyway, during Biden’s Negro Summer Safari Adventure, one day, all of the town gangsters came to the pool.
Now I know what you’re thinking, but don’t stereotype. Gangbangers are NOT a monolith.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Why can’t a real street nigga enjoy a nice refreshing dip? Sometimes a thug wants to play Marco Polo, too.
Well, the gang that invaded Biden’s pool was called the Romans, which sounds gangsta AF. And the leader of the Romans was a dude named Corn Pop.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Now if you’re black, I know this shit sounds like some white kid tried to make a gang fairy tale for a sixth-grade play because you and I know there ain’t no squad led by a nigga named Corn Pop going around terrorizing Delaware pools.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
But, I guess, in white people minds, thugs get two weeks vacation and go on retreats at city pools.
Anyway, Biden says he had no idea that Corn Pop was the duly elected leader of the hood niggas. So when Corn Pop began bouncing on the diving board, which was against the rules,
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Biden told him:
“Esther Williams! Get off the board, man…”
Then Biden kicked Corn Pop out of the pool.
(I know you’re thinking “Who TF is Esther Williams?” She was a famous swimmer in the 50s. But I admit, I thought he was talking about the lady who played Florida Evans, too)— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
Anyway, after he kicked the probably fictitious Corn Pop out of the pool, everybody was like: pic.twitter.com/XLQvaXHZ7W
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) September 14, 2019
AAN Staff
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