Joe Biden and the Famous Corn Pop Speech When I First Knew He Was Crackers

’Twas June 2017. While attending the dedication of an aquatic center in Wilmington, Del., Joe Biden told his story of facing off against a gang leader when he was a lifeguard in 1962. In this now famous tale Biden recounts an encounter with a mysterious and perhaps fictional gangster known as “Corn Pop“ while he was a lifeguard at a community pool. Corn Pop, a real individual, supposedly carried a straight razor and threatened Biden after an altercation where Biden called him “Esther,“ a derogatory term derived from swimmer Esther Williams. Biden claims he defused the potentially violent situation by apologizing to Corn Pop, thus preventing a razor-versus-chain showdown. The incident, which Biden included in his 2007 autobiography, has become part of his political folklore, illustrating his ability to negotiate and lead calmly in tense situations, particularly those involving race. The story was also highlighted during a dedication ceremony at a Delaware public pool in 2017, whe