What is it with Donald Trump and sharks? He seems to be obsessing on the subject somewhat, which only goes to confirm a story Stormy Daniels told a while back. Of course, sharks are pretty scary critters in general, but Trump seems to be exhibiting what can only be called galeophobia -- or, to semi-translate that from the Greek, "sharkophobia."

Perhaps Trump was scarred for life when the movie Jaws first came out, almost 50 years ago? After all, that was when galeophobia sank its teeth (so to speak) into the American psyche in a big way for the first time. Jaws is a frightening movie that is arguably one of the best summer horror flicks of all time, pitting a giant man-eating shark against a peaceful seaside town and Captain Quint (a somewhat-crazed shark-hunter).

Or perhaps Donald Trump recently watched a foreign-language film that's been making a splash (again, so to speak), Under Paris -- which is a sort of cross between Jaws, Sharknado, and Les Miserables. But that's a little hard to fathom -- Trump actually watching a whole movie with subtitles? Sacre bleu! It is to laugh, non?

Donald Trump has, apparently, never been a big fan of sharks. Here is the story Stormy Daniels told years ago, about one of her experiences with Trump:

"I remember arriving, and he was watching 'Shark Week,' " Daniels told Anderson Cooper in an interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday. "He made me sit and watch an entire documentary about shark attacks."

. . .

"He is obsessed with sharks. Terrified of sharks," Daniels told In Touch Weekly, again recounting Trump watching "Shark Week." "He was like, 'I donate to all these charities, and I would never donate to any charity that helps sharks. I hope all the sharks die.' He was, like, riveted. He was, like, obsessed."

Think "obsessed" is too strong a word? Well, recent evidence suggests it may indeed be appropriate. While in Nevada (a landlocked state, it bears mentioning), Trump told a bizarre story about a supposed conversation he had with a boat manufacturer who was bemoaning being somehow forced into making electric boats (which, as with most Trump stories, probably never actually happened). Trump was, of course, the hero of the story, asking a genius-level question that nobody had ever asked before:

"I say, 'What would happen if the boat sank from its weight, and you're in the boat, and you have this tremendously powerful battery, and the battery's now underwater, and there's a shark that's approximately 10 yards over there?'

"By the way, a lot of shark attacks lately, do you notice that? Lot of sharks. I watched some guys justifying it today: 'Well they weren't really that angry, they bit off the young lady's leg because of the fact that they were not hungry but they misunderstood who she was.' These people are crazy. He said, 'There's no problem with sharks, they just didn't really understand a young woman swimming.' No, really got decimated, and other people, too, a lot of shark attacks.

"So I said, 'There's a shark 10 yards away from the boat, 10 yards, or here. Do I get electrocuted if the boat is sinking, water goes over the battery, the boat is sinking? Do I stay on top of the boat and get electrocuted, or do I jump over by the shark and not get electrocuted?' Because I will tell you, he didn't know the answer.

"He said, 'You know, nobody's ever asked me that question.' I said, 'I think it's a good question. I think there's a lot of electric current coming through that water.' But you know what I'd do if there was a shark or you get electrocuted? I'll take electrocution every single time. I'm not getting near the shark. So we're going to end that, we're going to end it for boats, we're going to end it for trucks."

As with most Trump stories, he got the details completely wrong. Electric boat batteries are not that vulnerable to water -- they are entirely waterproofed, a fact that was beyond Trump's comprehension. But whatever. His galeophobia is the point.

Trump returned to his terror of sharks again this week, this time in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is not landlocked, since it lies on the shores of Lake Michigan, which Trump pointed to during his rally.

I mean, what's better, being with you right now -- look at that beautiful lake, that beautiful lake. Beautiful, right? What's better: This, or sitting on the Pacific or the Atlantic, which has sharks? You don't have sharks, see? That's a big advantage. I'll take the one without the sharks.

I mention Trump's obsession not so much to kick off the summer season (Happy Solstice, everyone!) but to offer President Joe Biden a bit of advice for next week's debate. After all, when your opponent reveals such a glaring weak spot, it behooves any political candidate to attempt to exploit it. Now, the absolute best way of doing so is completely impossible for this debate, so I guess Team Biden will have to come up with some other way of working it into the conversation. Getting under Trump's notoriously thin skin shouldn't be too hard, however, especially on a subject that quite obviously terrifies him no end. Perhaps it's because Trump knows he would be not just a snack for a great white shark but an entire supersized meal? Whatever the roots of his fear, it is definitely worth exploiting in some way or another.

What's that you say? I forgot to mention the best way of unnerving Trump? The one that is impossible (due to the fact that the debate will not have a live audience)? Well, of course, that would be to have Chevy Chase -- formerly of Saturday Night Live -- sitting in the front row, while wearing his famous "land shark" costume from all the way back in Season One (right after Jaws first came out). Trump would take one look at him and absolutely freak out!

[As a public service, we leave you today with the most memorable scene from the script of the very first "Land Shark" sketch, which Wikipedia helpfully transcribed. Enjoy your summer, everyone!]

[Scene: Interior. A New York City apartment. There is a knock at the door.]

WOMAN: [speaking through closed door] Yes?

VOICE: (mumbling) Mrs. Arlsburgerhhh?

WOMAN: Who?

VOICE: (mumbling) Mrs. Johannesburrrr?

WOMAN: Who is it?

VOICE: [pause] Flowers.

WOMAN: Flowers for whom?

VOICE: [long pause] Plumber, ma'am.

WOMAN: I don't need a plumber. You're that clever shark, aren't you?

VOICE: [pause] Candygram.

WOMAN: Candygram, my foot! You get out of here before I call the police! You're the shark, and you know it!

VOICE: Wait. I-I'm only a dolphin, ma'am.

WOMAN: A dolphin? Well... okay. [opens door]

[Huge latex and foam-rubber shark head lunges through open door, chomps down on woman's head, and drags her out of the apartment, as Jaws attack music plays.]

-- Chris Weigant

Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant